Ex-defense minister claims win in Mauritanian election

NOUAKCHOTT, 23 June 2019 [Fik/News Sources]: Former Defense Minister Ahmed Ould Ghazouani on Sunday claimed victory in Mauritania’s presidential election.  

“I congratulate you and the Mauritanian people on this victory,” Ould Ghazouani told supporters in the capital Nouakchott.  

“The remaining 20% of votes will not change the final results of the vote,” he claimed.  

Unofficial results showed that the former defense minister, who is an ally of incumbent President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, won more than half of votes, with around 81 percent of votes counted.

Opposition candidate Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar trailed second with 18.4% of the votes, the results showed.  

Mauritania’s electoral commission is expected to announce the official results of the vote later Sunday.  

Six candidates vied in Saturday’s polls to succeed Abdel Aziz, who seized power in 2008 and went on to win election in 2009 and 2014.  

The vote was seen as the first democratic election in the country since Mauritania gained independence in 1960.