ahlam1399
12-23-2019, 01:31 PM
KABUL: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani appeared to have secured a second term, preliminary polling results showed on Sunday, but his main rival immediately vowed to challenge the tally. After months of political limbo and allegations of fraud and corruption in the September 28 poll, Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission (IEC) said Ghani won 50.64 percent of the vote.
If it holds, the result is enough for Ghani to avoid a run-off. He easily beat his top challenger, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who scored 39.52 percent. Ghani gave a televised address, shouting triumphantly . He stopped short of declaring himself winner, but said the election results were a "victory" for all of Afghanistan.
"A government worthy of this great nation will be built," Ghani said. Candidates
now have three days to file any complaints before final results are announced, probably within weeks. Abdullah said he would contest the vote. "The election commission has unfortunately sided with the fraudsters," Abdullah said in a televised address, when he also demanded a recount in provinces across Afghanistan. "There is no doubt that we are the winners of the election based on the clean votes of the people," he added.
Abdullah lost to Ghani in 2014 in a divisive election that saw the US intervene to broker an awkward power-sharing deal between the two rivals.
US Ambassador to Afghanistan John Bass said it was vital the full electoral process plays out.
"It´s important for all Afghans to remember: these results are preliminary. Many steps remain before final election results are certified, to ensure the Afghan people have confidence in the results," Bass wrote on Twitter.
Preliminary results originally due October 19 were repeatedly delayed for what the IEC said were technical issues. Various candidates, particularly Abdullah, alleged fraud.
Observers and candidates have blasted the IEC over its handling of the count and its repeated disregard of the electoral calendar.
The Transparent Electoral Foundation of Afghanistan, an independent watchdog, said the IEC needs to share all information about how it reached its numbers and break down data by polling centre.
IEC chairwoman Hawa Alam Nuristani said her agency acted with "honesty, loyalty, responsibility and faithfulness".
"We respected every single vote because we wanted democracy to endure," she said.
Many people had stayed away from the vote.
Taliban vows to attack polling stations compounded voter apathy and despair that any politician could ever improve the lot of the average Afghan.
On the streets of Kabul after the results were announced, reaction was muted. Few people celebrated or protested.
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If it holds, the result is enough for Ghani to avoid a run-off. He easily beat his top challenger, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who scored 39.52 percent. Ghani gave a televised address, shouting triumphantly . He stopped short of declaring himself winner, but said the election results were a "victory" for all of Afghanistan.
"A government worthy of this great nation will be built," Ghani said. Candidates
now have three days to file any complaints before final results are announced, probably within weeks. Abdullah said he would contest the vote. "The election commission has unfortunately sided with the fraudsters," Abdullah said in a televised address, when he also demanded a recount in provinces across Afghanistan. "There is no doubt that we are the winners of the election based on the clean votes of the people," he added.
Abdullah lost to Ghani in 2014 in a divisive election that saw the US intervene to broker an awkward power-sharing deal between the two rivals.
US Ambassador to Afghanistan John Bass said it was vital the full electoral process plays out.
"It´s important for all Afghans to remember: these results are preliminary. Many steps remain before final election results are certified, to ensure the Afghan people have confidence in the results," Bass wrote on Twitter.
Preliminary results originally due October 19 were repeatedly delayed for what the IEC said were technical issues. Various candidates, particularly Abdullah, alleged fraud.
Observers and candidates have blasted the IEC over its handling of the count and its repeated disregard of the electoral calendar.
The Transparent Electoral Foundation of Afghanistan, an independent watchdog, said the IEC needs to share all information about how it reached its numbers and break down data by polling centre.
IEC chairwoman Hawa Alam Nuristani said her agency acted with "honesty, loyalty, responsibility and faithfulness".
"We respected every single vote because we wanted democracy to endure," she said.
Many people had stayed away from the vote.
Taliban vows to attack polling stations compounded voter apathy and despair that any politician could ever improve the lot of the average Afghan.
On the streets of Kabul after the results were announced, reaction was muted. Few people celebrated or protested.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/MLXmwW0vKU0
أكثر... (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/com/cwEr/~3/MLXmwW0vKU0/587296-ghani-secures-second-term-as-afghan-president)