The Constitutional Council in Mauritania on Monday declared former general Mohamed Ould Ghazouani the official winner of the June 22 presidential elections dismissing an appeal by opposition candidates.
According to the council, the opposition appeal was rejected for insufficient proof.
“Ninety-nine percent of the arguments are general allegations. No proof was provided,” Council President Bathia Mamadou Diallo said at a press conference.
Mauritania’s electoral commission had announced that Ghazouani had won the election with an absolute majority of 52%. However, some opposition candidates claimed there was fraud in the exercise and filed an appeal.
Ghazouani is set to officially succeed Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz on August 2. Aziz has served the maximum two five-year terms as president.
The election, which was largely peaceful, represented Mauritania’s first democratic transition of power since it gained independence from France in 1960.
Council President Diallo also added that the electoral system in Mauritania has improved much and continues to improve with each election.
Ghazouani, a former armed forces chief and director general of the national security agency, is widely credited with a reduction in jihadist attacks in the country through his firm guidance of the defence force. Countries in Africa’s Sahel region are a constant target for jihadists.
Ghazouani, whose campaigns focused on continuity, solidarity and security, has been congratulated on his election by countries, which include Algeria, France, Mali, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia.
