The Chadian Electoral Commission has announced President, Idriss Deby, winner of the April 10 election, thereby extending his 26 year rule. The announcement which was made in N’Djamena disclosed that veteran opposition leader Saleh Kebzabo came second with nearly 13 per cent, while Laoukein Kourayo Medard, Mayor of the city of Moundou, was running third with nearly 11 per cent.
Deby, who took power in a 1990 military coup and has been re-elected every five years since 1996, took nearly 62 per cent of the vote. It said Deby faced 13 challengers in the election, which was preceded by protests calling for an end to his long rule.
Meanwhile, opposition politicians accused the government of rigging the election and said they did not recognize the result.
A source said that the president has won due to his military campaign against the Islamist group Boko Haram.
He, however, said the 63-year-old has been unable to create economic conditions to impact on half of 13-million population who wallow in poverty despite being an oil producing nation now faced with falling oil prices.
