Togo president takes early lead in vote tally

Lome — Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbe took an early lead in the first results from Saturday’s presidential vote released yesterday. Results from six of 42 voting districts showed Gnassingbe with 64 percent, ahead of 33 percent for his nearest rival, Jean-Pierre Fabre, the head of the election commission said. Gnassingbe is widely seen as favourite to win a third term in power that would take his family’s grip on the country past 50 years. Gnassingbe has led Togo since 2005, when his father died after 38 years in charge.

The rest of the votes were shared between the three other candidates, election commission chief Issoufou Taffa Tabiou said More results were due later in the day.

West African and local election observers said on Sunday the election had taken place without major incidents, although turnout appears to have been low at just over 50 percent.

Given Togo’s history of post-election violence, hundreds died in clashes after the 2005 vote diplomats and observer teams have called on leaders to maintain the peaceful atmosphere.

Security forces stepped up patrols as results were ferried to the seaside capital, Lome, for compilation.

The ballot was delayed by ten days to allow election experts to clean up the voter rolls, which the opposition said contained numerous errors that might favour the incumbent. — AFP