Guinea: Vote counting underway in tense presidential poll
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Counting of ballots in Guinea’s presidential election is underway after citizens cast their vote on Sunday.
Provisional results are expected to be announced 72 hours after closure of polling stations.
To be declared winner a presidential candidate must secure more than 50% of the vote else there will be a second round on 24 November.
Candidates will have eight days to lodge appeals when results are declared. If no appeals are lodged the final results will be deemed uncontested.
Twelves candidates contested the presidential election with incumbent President, Alpha Conde, 82 and Cellou Dalein Diallo of the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG), are the front runners.
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Diallo, 68 is a former prime minister who lost to Mr Condé in both 2010 and 2015 elections.
Polling stations close in Guinea and voting centres begin counting the ballots that will decide who will be the next president of the West African nation pic.twitter.com/Am6fwT8evD
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) October 19, 2020
There have been concerns about the political atmosphere in the country amid ethnic clashes during campaigns.
Security Minister, Damantang Camara said no major incidents were registered during the voting process which saw over 5.4 million people casting their ballots.
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Guinean prime minister Ibrahima Kassory Fofana has appealed to candidates to refrain from proclaiming victory before the actual results are announced.
Source: Africafeeds.com
