Togo’s Faure gets AU nod despite protests

Togo’s constitutional court is expected to verify the results of the country’s elections which gave the incumbent a fourth term, even as his opponents claim fraud.

Faure Gnassingbe, son of long-term ruler Gnassingbe Eyadema who died in 2005, polled 72 per cent of the vote in results announced last Sunday. Observer missions from the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) endorsed the elections, staying clear of fraud allegations, but praising the ‘’peaceful’’ conduct.

Ecowas Observer Mission (EOM) appealed to all the candidates to uphold the ‘’sanctity’’ of the results which saw the 53-year-old incumbent re-elected. He defeated his closest rival, 65-year-old Messan Agbéyomé Gabriel Kodjo of Patriotic Movement for Democracy and Development (MPDD).

President Gnassingbe faced a constitutional limit to his term. An amendment to the country’s Constitution allowed the president to seek re-election and potentially stay in office until 2030. This sparked huge protests in 2017 and 2018 but the changes stayed anyway.

Togo, a small West African country of eight million people, has been led by the Union of the Republic Party (UNIR) since 2005. The president’s rival Mr Kodjo, had served as prime minister from August 29, 2000 to June 27, 2002, under President Faure’s father. Mr Kodjo polled 18 per cent of the vote, but he and other opposition figures claim the election was stolen.

Some citizens tweeted in support of Mr Kodjo’s claim. Moussa Issifou, commenting on a video posted on social media said that: “The National army is openly campaigning for the re-election of the tyrant in an election already marred with massive fraud.”

Contrary to the declaration of Ecowas Observer Mission, Mr Kodjo alleged that the government set up fake polling stations, engaged in ballot stuffing and got voters to cast multiple times in favour of the president. An Ecowas preliminary declaration on the first round of the election signed by President Earnest Koroma of Sierra Leone on February 24 praised the conduct of the vote.

“The entire process took place generally in a peaceful atmosphere” it said citing voting starting on time, ending peacefully, materials provided to all stations and security agents staying out of politics to allow people a free hand to choose. According to EOM, representatives of all the political parties — ANC, UNIR, MPDD, MCD, PSR, and ADDI — were present during all the process and voting was smooth and in accordance with provisions of the electoral code.

The EOM appealed to all candidates to respect the results announced by the relevant elections management authority and to only use legal channels to have their disputes addressed. However, Mr Kodjo was reportedly put under house arrest, but authorities claimed they were protecting him from possible thugs. Togo’s Security Minister Yark Dameham told local media: “We have received reports that he is at risk of an attack in his house by unruly individuals, but I can’t tell you from which side.”

The African Union Election Observation Mission released a statement on February 25 advising candidates and political actors to “use legal channels in the event of a dispute.”