Niger Election Heads to Runoff

Two French nationals were killed in a shoot-out in Niger. The incident involved French military forces and several people were reported killed.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos

Niger election heads to runoff

The Associated Press
7:10 PM Thursday, February 3, 2011

NIAMEY, Niger — The head of Niger's electoral commission announced that a longtime opposition figure was leading with most of the ballots counted from the country's first election following a military coup.

Abdourahamane Ghousmane said Mahamadou Issoufou was leading with 36 percent of the vote after ballots from 55 out of the country's 58 communes had been tabulated.

Because Issoufou did not receive a majority, he will need to face second-place finisher Seini Oumarou in a runoff. Oumarou, a former prime minister, got 23 percent of the votes.

The country's 6.7 million registered voters are choosing between 10 presidential candidates.
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February 04, 2011 12:06 AM EST