EU observers call for full release of Guinean poll results

EU election observers called on Guinean authorities to release “all the detailed results” from the country’s presidential polls, and appealed for calm following the opposition’s rejection of the outcome.

Guinea’s Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) on Saturday declared incumbent Alpha Conde the victor after winning 57.85 percent of the October 11 first round vote, handing him a second five-year term.

His main rival, opposition leader and former premier Cellou Dalein Diallo came second with 31.44 percent, CENI added.

The results must still be approved by the constitutional court.

Diallo on Saturday refused to recognise the outcome and urged supporters to take to the streets against what he labelled an “illegal” election tainted by mismanagement and fraud.

The EU observer mission said it “notes the non-publication… of all the detailed results by polling stations after the conclusion of the counting” in the capital Conakry.

The release of the results “constitutes an essential guarantee of transparency for those involved in the electoral process, especially after the organisational and logistical gaps observed in this poll”, it said in a statement.

It called on CENI to publish detailed results well before the time limit set by the constitution so that all candidates can exercise “their right to an eventual recourse in the event of any challenges.”

It issued an appeal for “calm” to all those involved, urging them to “use only legal means available to them to contest” the results.

Reading a list of alleged irregularities on Saturday, Diallo said the six other candidates for president have all decided not to recognise the results of the first round.

The opposition has notably criticised the very high turnout in known pro-Conde strongholds and complained of an unfair geographical spread of voter cards, an allegation CENI has denied.

The EU election observer team has criticised the electoral commission for poor organisation and a “lack of preparation”.

But, despite the call for demonstrations, relative calm has prevailed in Conakry since the release of the result.