ABIDJAN: Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara has provisionally won a third term in office with 94.27% of the vote, the electoral commission announced early on Tuesday, after a bitter election that sparked deadly violence and was boycotted by opposition voters.
“Thus elected president of the republic, Alassane Ouattara,” Kuibiert-Coulibaly Ibrahime, the head of the electoral commission announced.
He said the final turnout for the Oct. 31 election was at 53.90%.
The results have to be validated by the country’s constitutional council which will declare the final winner after hearing any challenges or complaints of irregularities.
Two major opposition candidates on the ballot had asked supporters not to take part in Saturday’s election, in protest at Ouattara’s decision to run. Their parties said whole swathes of the country had not participated.
Opposition activists say…