Opposition parties in Congo Brazzaville aredisputing Sunday's presidential vote won by long time President Denis Sassou-Nguesso.They condemned the election as flawed and questioned its legitimacy.
Daysbefore Sunday's vote, six members of incumbentPresident Sassou-Nguesso's 12 challengerscalled for a boycott, claiming irregularities. But the government aswell as African Union observers described the election as free and fair.
TheElectoral Commission said President Sassou-Nguesso won 78.6 percent of thetotal votes.
"Thewhole election process has been contentious even before they cast the firstballot. The opposition complained bitterly that the results were fore-ordained.And so, I'm not surprised that they rejected the outcome," said Professor OkeyOnyejekwe, director of governance at the United Nations Economic Commission forAfrica.
He said the opposition'smessage lacks coherence.
"The problem that theopposition has is that they are splintered. And consequently they do not have acommon agenda which will make it more likely that they will succeed. I'm notquite sure if you ask me if they will succeed," he said.
Onyejekwe said Congo'selectoral body failed to address the opposition concerns ahead of Sunday'svote.
"You will recall that a fewweeks ago, the opposition in general leveled accusations against the electoralprocess. One of which was that the voter registry was over-inflated. Secondly,that the level playing field was not there for other contenders and that it(election result) was fore-ordained," Onyejekwe said.
He said there areindications the election was not credible.
"In a number of ways theoutcome (of the election) was predictable. And it also reflect the overbearingpower and influence of the incumbent," he said.
Onyejekwe expressedfrustration with the African Union's verdict that the election was free andfair.
"I have a problem with thefact that they (African Union) did not intervene or intercede much earlier tolook at some of the structural complaints that were made by the opposition,"Onyejekwe said.
In his speech to theGhanaian Parliament, President Barack Obama frowned on African leaders who hesaid cling to power despite constitutional requirements to step down.
Onyejekwe said the resultsshowed Congo officials did not heed president Obama's advice.
"In President Obama's speechin Accra (Ghana's capital) he talked about 'the big man syndrome' and what isprevailing in the continent. The United Nations Commission for Africa justreleased a 2009 Africa governance report. And one of its major findings is thisbig man syndrome in which leaders are finding so many other ways to perpetuatethemselves in office," Onyejekwe said.
He said election disputesacross Africa could continue to degenerate into conflicts if they are notresolved.
"Until we address thisproblem, you will never have people accepting the outcome of elections,"Onyejekwe said.
Meanwhile, turnout wasreportedly low in Sunday's vote due to an opposition boycott.