As widely expected, General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, proclaimed Chadian head of state three years ago by the army, won the presidential elections with 61.03% of the votesaccording to the provisional official results of the electoral commission.
Deby Itno beat his prime minister Succes Masra who obtained only 18.53% of the votes, according to these results which must be validated by the Constitutional Council.
A few hours earlier Masra had claimed victory, accusing General Deby’s camp in advance of having rigged the results in order to proclaim him elected. Albert Pahimi Padacké, former prime minister (2016-2018), came third with 16.91% of the votes. Voter turnout was 75.89%.announced Ahmed Bartchiret, president of the National Election Management Agency who proclaimed the results.
In a speech published on his Facebook page, Masra said that his team’s vote count “establishes victory in the first round, that of changing the status quo.” “The victory is sensational”, he continued by stating that the general’s team Mahamat Idriss Deby Itnoproclaimed transitional president three years ago by the army, will soon announce victory and “steal victory from the people”.
Masra, a former opposition leader who was appointed prime minister in January, urged the population to “mobilize peacefully… to demonstrate our victory.”
Shortly afterWhen these results were announced, the military was firing automatic weapons into the air in the capital N’Djamena, of joy and clearly to dissuade people from gathering, AFP journalists reported.
