Togo’s president prepares to rule the country as for his fourth term after the electoral commission released the preliminary results of the first round of the presidential election. President Faure Gnassingbé reportedly led by a landslide of 72 per cent of the vote while his main opposition and former Prime Minister Agbeyome Kodjo who way behind with just 18 per cent of the vote.
According to Aljazeera, to Togo‘s President, Faure Gnassingbe has been re-elected for a fourth term, the national electoral commission has declared, extending his 15-year rule and a family dynasty that began when his father took power in a 1967 coup.
Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe Will Run For Fourth Term Despite Heavy Protest
The final results are expected to be announced by the Supreme Court in the coming days. Once confirmed, the result will place Gnassingbe in power for another five years, a blow for opposition protesters who have taken to the streets in recent years, calling for him to step down. Gnassingbe’s family have been head of this West African country for 53 years.
Gnassingbe has led the country of eight million people since taking over in 2005 following the death of his father Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled the country for 38 years. In May, he oversaw an overhaul of the constitution that allowed him to run this year – and potentially remain in office until 2030.
The president boasts of a rather positive economic record, with stable growth of 5%, but his critics denounce authoritarian governance and the corruption of his entourage when half the population lives below the extreme poverty line, with less than $1.90 a day, AfricaNews Reports.
Togo is currently the tenth-poorest country in the world, according to the International Monetary Fund.
