BY LOU SIFA

With reporting by Arsene Kassegne

Togolese voters went to the poll yesterday Saturday to choose a new president. The incumbent president, Faure Gnassingbé, who was being challenged by six opposition candidates, was expected to win an easy re-election for a fourth term and extend his family’s half-century domination over Togo. But the ballot count underway points to an upset.

In a brief phone conversation with The African just hours ago, Agbéyomé Kodjo, former prime minister and former speaker of the Togolese parliament and the leading opposition candidate running against President Gnassingbé, said “We have won the election,” and promised to get back to us later this evening.

The incumbent president has been ruling Togo since 2005 following the demise of his father, Gnassingbé Eyadéma, who ruled the small West African nation for 38 years.

No violence was reported during the election, which was supervised by hundreds of international observers on behalf of the Economic Community of West African, ECOWAS, and the African Union. The authorities, however, banned hundreds of local observers from monitoring the election.

Shortly after the voting, security forces surrounded the residences of Kodjo and one of his allies. The former prime minister cried foul, decrying the violation of human rights, and an alibi to create a self-serving confusion. Three hours later, the siege was lifted, with the authorities claiming that the intention was to protect Mr. Kodjo and his ally.

Talking to the press right after the security forces left, a confident Kodjo said he’s convinced to “lead this country” in a week. The former prime minister also mentioned the alleged fraud that has marred the election, adding “it is impossible for the outgoing candidate to be elected in the first round.” According to Kodjo, President Gnassingbé’s allies have used multiple methods to cheat, including ballot stuffing, fake polling stations and having some voters cast multiple ballots in favor of the incumbent president.

Clearly, Prime Minister Agbéyomé claims victory after the first round of voting. A run-off takes place only when none of the candidates receives over 50% of the votes cast. He said he’s clearly in first place in Lome, the nation’s capital, and has done well in other locations as well.

In a video made available to the press just minutes ago which has yet to be televised, Kodjo stated that he has received between 57% and 61% of the votes, adding:

“I therefore become the democratically-elected president, and I pledge to form an inclusive government. I seize this opportunity to congratulate Faure Gnassingbé who thus becomes the first living former president in the history of Togo, and invite him to show patriotism so that the transfer of power can happen in peace and in accordance with the rules.”

Kodjo also congratulated the security forces “for their neutrality and their impartiality,” and vowed to “strictly deliver on my campaign promises as soon as I take office.”

He also said:

“I ask the living forces of the nation to own this historic victory and to celebrate it before the official announcement. I solemnly call on the international community to support the Togolese people in its fight for a peaceful succession in Togo.”

Not the least, the former prime calls on the security forces to “keep their republican neutrality to avoid being used for any purpose.”

In conclusion, Kodjo said:

“We therefore call on the outgoing president to be mindful of the gravity of the situation, and to go down in history by accepting his defeat.”

In a communique issued prior to Kodjo’s declaration, the president of the Togolese electoral commission said the provisional results of the election will be announced no later than tomorrow Monday at 8 p.m. local time.