Chad: May 6, presidential election/Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno declared winner in first round

In Chad, the official provisional results of the first round of the presidential election on May 6 give victory to the transitional president, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, with 61.03% of the votes.

According to the provisional results announced on Wednesday, May 9, by the National Electoral Management Agency (ANGE), current President of Chad, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, emerged as the winner in the first round of elections.

With over 61.03% of the votes, he came first in this presidential race ahead of his Prime Minister and main rival Succès Masra, who obtained 18.53% of the votes. Former Prime Minister Albert Pahimi Padacké came in third place with 16.91% of the votes.

According to official figures, a total of 6,224,387 votes were cast out of nearly 8,202,207 registered voters. The voter turnout in this first round was 6,200,701, representing 75.89%.

Even before the provisional results were announced by the electoral commission, Succès Masra had self-proclaimed himself the winner of the election through a message addressed to the people. « Everything is accomplished, the victory of the people is overwhelming and untainted », he declared.

The announcement of the provisional results, declaring Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno as the winner, was followed by warning shots in the capital. The toll is nine dead and nearly sixty wounded, according to the local media outlet Alwihda Info.

However, the Ministry of Public Security had called on the population to « remain calm, maintain serenity, and carry on with their daily activities as usual ».

Rahim Diallo