OWN CORRESPONDENTS, Abidjan | Wednesday
IVORY Coast military ruler General Robert Guei has plunged his country into chaos, declaring a state of emergency and dissolving the national electoral commission as he unilaterally claimed victory in the country’s presidential elections.
Violence erupted in Abidjan after Guei and his main political opponent Laurent Gbagbo both declared themselves winners of the elections, with soldiers using live ammunition to try to disperse crowds. At least six people are believed to have died.
Earlier Gbagbo declared himself head of state and told his supporters to take to the streets to stop the army robbing him of victory.
Demonstrations were reported from districts all around Abidjan, with Gbagbo supporters building barricades from street vendors’ stalls and setting fire to some of them.
Firing was reported in at least three areas, one of them close to the headquarters of state television.
A large crowd of people was marching towards the residence of army ruler General Robert Guei on the edge of the Plateau business district. Security forces intervened, apparently with teargas.
Gbagbo’s supporters had taken to the streets in early afternoon in several parts of Abidjan and in the second city of Bouake in central Ivory Coast as rumours of the official result circulated.
The interior ministry said Guei had been elected after winning 52.72% of the vote. It said Gbagbo came second with 41.02%.
Gbagbo’s campaign headquarters said earlier that computerised results from its representatives in polling stations showed that their candidate was emerging as the clear winner. They gave Gbagbo 62.83% of votes cast and Guei 34.3%, based on figures in over two-thirds of constituencies.
France has warned Guei against ”robbing voters of their choice”, saying the suspension of the National Electoral Commission was unacceptable and demanding that the independent commission be allowed to resume work and produce indisputable poll results. – Reuters