Vote counting is underway in Niger, following Sunday’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
President Mahamadou Issoufou is hoping to secure a second term in the impoverished African Nation.
His main rival, Hama Amadou, is currently behind bars accused of trafficking babies, a charge he strongly denies.
The run-up to the vote was marred by accusations of repression and a row over identification documents.
The authorities announced that roughly 1.5 million people without ID papers would be able to cast their ballots by having witnesses vouch for them, in a move that was condemned by opposition leaders.
The election unfolded without major incident, although the late arrival of voting materials caused many polling stations to stay open after their scheduled closing time.
Niger had about 7.5 million voters registered for the election, and candidates were also competing for 171 legislative seats.
Provisional results are expected by Friday at the latest. Issoufou’s strongest opponents include former prime ministers Seyni Oumarou and Hama Amadou.
If no candidate earns more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two candidates will head to a runoff.
