Council Overturns Ivorian Polls Results

Council Overturns Ivorian Polls Results

Ivory Coast 's Constitutional Council has overturned earlier poll results and declared President Laurent Gbagbo the winner of Sunday's run-off.

The electoral commission had on Thursday declared opposition candidate Alassane Ouattara as winner.

The Constitutional Council chairman said on Friday that the results in seven regions in the north, where Mr. Ouattara draws most of his support, had been annulled.

Paul Yao N'Dre, chairman of the Constitutional Council which validates election results said Mr. Gbagbo had won a little more than 51% of the vote.

The head of the electoral commission had said Mr Gbagbo won 46% of ballots cast.

Bitter row disrupts normal life

A bitter dispute over the outcome of the presidential election prompted authorities to shut all international borders on Thursday.

Banks and many business outfits in Abidjan , Cote D'ivoire 's economic capital were shut and port activity slow on Friday.

The world's top cocoa grower faces growing uncertainty after provisional results handing victory to challenger Alassane Ouattara were dismissed by the constitutional council, whose chief is close to incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo.

Reports say only a handful of taxis toured the centre of the usually bustling centre of Abidjan and shops remained shuttered while the port through which much of the world's cocoa supply passes remained largely inactive.

A curfew, part of security measure imposed by President Gbagbo before last Sunday's poll, was still on.

Leaders of the US , France and the UN have called on the candidates to respect the judgment of the Ivorian people.

Gbagbo's party has accused the rebels still controlling the north of the country of intimidation and of rigging the poll for Ouattara and the rebels have denied the charge.

Ouattara's party has also accused Gbagbo of blocking the results of a poll he had lost.

NAN/Yinka