Guinea’s Opposition Presidential Nominee Prematurely Declares Election Victory

Africa | Guinea October 20, 2020

Just as counting of votes of Guinea’s presidential election held on October 18, 2020 commenced, the country’s main opposition presidential nominee Cellou Dalein Diallo, declared himself winner of the poll. That was reported by some media. His premature declaration of victory is said to have been made on October 19, 2020. Following the declaration, his supporters reportedly took to the streets of the capital Conakry, celebrating with dances and singing, among others.

However, the country’s electoral body called The Independent Electoral Commission has dismissed Mr Diallo’s election victory claim as null and void, according to the reports. Vote counting continues, and official results of the election are not expected until the end of this week.

Premature declarations of election victory or what could be said to be predetermined election outcomes often made by opposition parties are not uncommon in Africa. Such declarations that are usually based on flimsy polling data and flawed assumptions about voting patterns, have often led to bloody post-election unrests in some countries, especially when involved opposition parties ended up losing elections that may have been free and fair.

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