From Times Live

Niger’s President Mahamadou Issoufou enjoyed a strong lead in his quest for a second term as leader of the uranium-rich west African nation, according to partial results from elections that the opposition has slammed as rigged.

With 3.18 million votes from Sunday’s election counted — representing a little over 40 percent of the 7.5-million strong electorate — the 63-year-old incumbent had just over 46 percent, well ahead of his closest rival, detained former parliamentary speaker Hama Amadou.

Amadou, who is behind bars on baby trafficking charges he says were concocted to thwart his presidential ambitions, had garnered only just over 16 percent, while former prime minister Seini Oumarou had about 11 percent, the electoral commission said.

Issoufou’s aides told AFP they were confident the man nicknamed the “Lion” would make good on his promise to deliver a “knockout blow” to his opponents in the first round.

They said that ballots still being counted in his western stronghold of Tahoua would likely tip him over the 50-percent score needed to avoid a run-off.

The final score could be announced later Thursday, electoral officials said. Turnout in the areas that have announced results so far was over 67 percent.

The opposition has on Tuesday already declared it would not recognise the result, saying the election was rigged in Issoufou’s favour.

Read more at Times Live