Guinea Rivals Urged To Accept Vote Outcome

Guinea Rivals Urged To Accept Vote Outcome

Candidates of Guinea 's presidential election have been urged to accept the outcome of Sunday's presidential run-off.

The Leading of Guinea's election security forces, General Ibrahim Balde, said this on Wednesday, as authorities issued a fresh batch of results.

Results so far

Electoral authorities on Wednesday issued a fresh batch of preliminary results showing former Prime Minister, Cellou Dallein Diallo extending a lead over rival Alpha Conde, mostly in precincts that political analysts had forecast he would take.

With more than a third of the vote tallied, Diallo has nearly 60 percent of the ballots cast.

The election is meant to end nearly two years of military rule and could shore up gains at stability in Guinea .

Free and fair election

An official at the electoral authority, Foumba Kourouma, told newsmen that the full provisional results will be published by Friday.

International election observers have said Sunday's vote, which had been delayed for months after the June 27 first round, appeared largely free and fair despite minor deficiencies.

They warned against extended delays to releasing the full provisional results and called for calm.

Guinean law requires full provisional results to be released within three days, though the top court ruled this week that the countdown does not begin until all results are received by the central election authorities, something that has yet to occur.

REUTERS/Williams/Yinka