Niger’s constitutional court has confirmed Mohamed Bazoum of the ruling PNDS party as winner of a presidential runoff held last month.
Mr Bazoum won with 55.66 % of the votes while his challenger Mahamane Ousmane of the RDR-Tchanji party received 45.34% of the votes, according to the final results published on Sunday.
The turnout was 62.81%.
The opposition coalition, Cap 2021, and its allies had contested the results, alleging fraud. It claimed victory with 50.3% of the vote.
On Saturday the authorities banned a planned march by the opposition in the capital, Niamey, because it was seen as a “risk to public order” and “for reasons of health emergency” related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This is Niger’s first transition from one democratically elected leader to another, with President Mahamadou Issoufou stepping down after two five-year terms.
The new president is a former interior minister and close ally of Mr Issoufou.
Niger, which is the world’s poorest country, is struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency.
Source: BBC
