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Guinea Politician Expects Parties to Accept Court Ruling on Vote

   Peter Clottey 11 July 2010
   Local  residents watch as election workers count presidential votes at
   an outdoor polling station in Conakry, Guinea, 27 Jun 2010

Photo: AP

   Local  residents watch as election workers count presidential votes at
   an  outdoor polling station in Conakry, Guinea, 27 Jun 2010. Guinea on
   Sunday  held its first free election since independence more than half
   a  century  ago,  a  vote  many hope will finally end decades of harsh
   military rule and launch a new democratic era.

   The  leader of Guineaâs New Generation for the Republic party told VOA
   it  is  likely that all the political parties that participated in the
   27^th  June  presidential  election  will  accept  the decision of the
   Supreme Court about the outcome of the vote.

   Abe  Sylla  said 20 out of the 23 parties petitioned the Supreme Court
   claiming  the  election  was  fraught  with  irregularities,  a charge
   Guineaâs Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) denied.

   âWe  are  waiting  for the results of the Supreme Court before we make
   any  decision. And, that is going to be probably around, on or before,
   the  19^th of this month. And, it is only after that that we will see,
   number  one,  what are the decisions (if) the election was going to go
   to  the  second  round,  or are they (are) going to annul the election
   altogether,â he said.

   Guineaâs  Supreme  Court  has  been  listening  to complaints filed by
   parties who claimed the election was rigged.

   According  to  results  announced  by  Guineaâs  National  Independent
   Electoral  Commission  (CENI),  former  Prime  Minister Mamadou Cellou
   Dalein  Diallo  got  39.72  percent  of  the  votes,  while  long time
   opposition leader Alpha Conde garnered 20.67 percent.

   Under  Guineaâs  constitution, only the two front runners of the first
   round vote are eligible to participate in the run-off.

   Party leader Sylla said, after the Supreme Court's decision, his party
   will  decide  which of the two leading presidential candidates it will
   form an alliance with ahead of the run-off vote.

   âWe are going to talk to both of the two (presidential candidates) and
   see  which  one  we  can  work with. And, we will respect whatever the
   Supreme Court decides,â Sylla said.

   He  also  said  Guineans are anxiously waiting for the Supreme Courtâs
   decision.

   International   observers,  including  U.S-based  Carter  Center,  the
   European  Union,  as  well  as  the Economic Community of West African
   States  (ECOWAS)  monitoring  team,  described the overall election as
   peaceful and transparent despite logistical challenges.

   The  election  run-off was initially scheduled for 18^th July, but was
   postponed  to  allow  the Supreme Court adjudicate complaints filed by
   some   parties   challenging  the  election  results  with  claims  of
   intimidation and fraud allegations.

   Many  observers  say  the  27^th June vote was the first time Guineaâs
   electoral  commission  has  organized an election without an incumbent
   candidate.  Previous elections were judged to have been manipulated in
   favor of the ruling party and incumbent president.
   According  to  the  electoral commission, about 77 percent of Guineaâs
   four million registered voters fully participated in the vote.

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