TheCable

Chad’s constitutional council has announced Mahamat Déby as the winner of the May 6 presidential election.

The announcement on Thursday, confirmed preliminary results from the country’s National Election Management Agency last week.

The declaration of Déby as the winner came after the council dismissed challenges by two candidates — Succès Masra, prime minister, and Albert Padacké, former prime minister.

Jean-Bernard Padare, constitutional council president, said Masra came second with 18.54 percent, while Padacké won 16.93 percent.

Padare said Déby won the poll with 61 percent of the vote — cementing a victory that extends his family’s decades-long rule.

Masara acknowledged the council’s ruling in a live address on Thursday evening.

“With the decision of the constitutional council today, we have used all available legal means, and even if we do not accept this decision, there are no other legal means in our judicial architecture,” Masra said.

Before the election results were announced, Masra had announced himself as the winner in a Facebook broadcast.

The prime minister called on his supporters and security forces to oppose what he said was an attempt to steal victory from the people.

His concession has put an end to fears of violence arising from a much-disputed election in a country adjusting to democracy.

Padacké, the other candidate who challenged the preliminary results, congratulated Déby on his victory.

Yaya Dillo, Déby’s relative and another opposition figure who had been expected to run, was shot and killed the day the election date was announced.

Before his death, Dillo was considered to be Déry’s strongest rival. Opposition groups said the shooting was an assassination.