Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has won re-election “comfortably” based on his campaign’s vote count, his spokesman said on Tuesday, dismissing claims from the opposition that they won. With official results not expected for a few days, the two sides have been swapping counterclaims and accusations since Monday’s second-round run-off. The ballot pitted Keita, who is seeking a second term to rule the West African gold- and cotton-producing country, against opposition leader Soumaila Cisse, who said on Monday that the vote was fraudulent and that he was victor.
Cisse has not provided concrete evidence for his accusations and Keita has denied any wrongdoing.
The poll was tarnished by voting irregularities and militant violence that shut nearly 500 polling stations on Monday, about 2 percent of the total. Turnout was also low.
“The results issued from our campaign headquarters indicate that Ibrahim Boubacar Keita would be comfortably re-elected,” his campaign manager Bocary Treta told reporters.
Full Article: Mali president claims election victory amid fraud accusations | Reuters.
