Election results in Côte d'Ivoire delayed due to fraud accusations

Election results in Côte d'Ivoire delayed due to fraud accusations

2010-12-02 03:29:08 GMT+7 (ICT)

ABIDJAN, COTE D'IVOIRE (BNO NEWS) -- The presidential election results on Wednesday were delayed as supporters of incumbent president and candidate Laurent Gbagbo accused the opposition of fraud and vowed for the annulment of votes in four regions.

According to the Daily Nation, authorities said that the results will be announced on Wednesday morning but fraud allegations and fears of unrest, which have already caused seven deaths in vote-related violence, delayed the announcement.

The country’s electoral commission headquarters were closed and surrounded by police and soldiers. Security in the capital city Abidjan was also reinforced with troops. The city remained tense and quieter than usual awaiting the results of the landmark election.

Rival candidate Alassane Ouattara accused president Gbagbo of trying to steal the victory by blocking the announcement of partial results. Last Sunday, Ivorian people voted in the presidential run-off election after the first round was held on October 31.

The elections are considered a major step in restoring stability in the country, which was split by civil war into a Government-held south and rebel Forces Nouvelles-controlled north in 2002. The landmark election initially had fourteen candidates.

International observers reported that there were some abuses during the polls but the United Nations reported that the presidential elections were "generally conducted in a democratic climate."

Authorities imposed a curfew in the West African country since last Saturday after violent incidents have been reported in various areas of Côte d’Ivoire as both sides continue claiming fraud and cheating over Sunday’s polls.

A supporter of president Gbagbo in the electoral commission seized papers with partial results from the hands of a spokesman and toe them up before he could read them. The spokesman was then escorted away by the police.

"We will fight to the end to ensure that the true results are published," Gbagbo's spokesman Pascal Affi N'Guessan said. "We will do all in our power for the results in all areas where fraud took place in the elections fraudulently to be annulled, so that the outcome of the ballots reflects the real opinion of our countrymen."

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