Togo’s Faure Gnassingbé ‘wins re-election’ amid fraud protest

Togo’s current president and presidential candidate Faure Gnassingbé has been declared winner of the 2020 elections per the preliminary results from the electoral commission.

President Faure Gnassingbé’s relection for the fourth time has been re-elected to the highest office.

Agbéyomé Kodjo, the opposition leader however accused the authorities of widespread fraud and irregularities during the 2020 polls but a president Faure Gnassingbé  has revealed that the accusations are not true according to the AFP news agency.

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Mr Gnassingbé who is the electoral commissioner had received at least 72% of the vote out of which some 18% had been obtained by Mr Agbéyomé Kodjo.

The Supreme Court of Togo is expected to announce the final certified results by the end of the week. The current president took over the reigns of power from his father and former president Gnassingbé Eyadema, who ruled for 38 years.

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According sources, the home of the opposition candidate Mr Agbéyomé Kodjo was surrounded by heavily armed officers of the army and police whiles the elections were being held. The same courtesy was accorded the former archbishop of the capital of Lomé, Philippe Kpodzro. Kpodzro, an influential clergyman, who prior to the election supported the campaign of Mr Agbéyomé Kodjo. The according to the government was to give the two men the best of protection during the election.

The 53-year-old Gnassingbé promised Togolese that he would fight poverty by initiating critical policies and programs however, there were sections of the populace who believed to was time for him to step down having won and ruled for three year. The call for him to step down led to massive protests in 2017 and 2018.

He pledged over 500,000 jobs for his countrymen especially the teaming youth if he is elected. The jobs were to be created by 2022 if re-elected to reduce poverty and help improve standard of living. To ensure, his plans of ruling till 2020,  he led a vigorous campaign that succeeded and gave birth to a news constitutional amendment for him to contest for the fourth time. This implies he if he wins the next election, he will remain in office.