By Haddy Touray
Guinea-Bissau’s incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló says he has been arrested in what he describes as a coup d’état.
Gunfire was heard on Wednesday around the National Electoral Commission as votes in Sunday’s presidential and parliamentary elections in the country that is prone to coups were being tallied, according to Jeune Afrique.
Embaló told Jeune Afrique that he was detained around 1 p.m. while in his office at the presidential palace. He said no force was used during the arrest, which he claimed was carried out by the army chief of staff. The Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Interior Minister, and Deputy Chief of Staff were also arrested, he said.
Embaló has claimed victory in the election, saying he garnered 65% of the vote, based on his own camp’s tally. Official provisional results are not expected until Thursday.
Both Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias de Costa have declared they won the first round of the vote.
The ECOWAS Observation Mission (EOM) has said that polls were conducted in “a peaceful, orderly and professional manner… despite a few initial organisational and set-up deficiencies observed”.
“In the light of the foregoing, the Mission commends the voters and election officials for their determination, peaceful conduct, and professionalism in the exercise of their patriotic duties and obligations,” the Mission said in its Preliminary Declaration released in Bissau on Monday.
“The Mission further commends the Government and the …authorities in the country for their efforts in strengthening and consolidating democracy and national ownership by autonomously funding the entire electoral process.”
With the counting of votes and collation of results still ongoing before the announcement of the outcome by the National Electoral Commission, CNE, the campaign offices of the two presidential front-runners, incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, 53, who is seeking re-election, and 47-year-old opposition candidate Fernando Dias, are both claiming victory.
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By Haddy Touray Guinea-Bissau’s incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló says he has been arrested in what he describes as a…
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