Former president Andry Rajoelina on Friday took an early lead in Madagascar’s election count with a clear advantage over his rival Marc Ravalomanana, according to partial official results.
With about one-third of polling stations counted, Rajoelina had 54.85% of the vote and Ravalomanana had 45.15% after the head-to-head election on Wednesday.
Both camps have claimed victory and alleged fraud, raising fears of a disputed result and the risk of a new political crisis in the Indian Ocean island which has a history of coups and unrest.
Rajoelina and Ravalomanana, both former presidents and long-time rivals, are locked in a duel for power after they came a close first and second in the preliminary election in November.
With a turnout was about 47%, Rajoelina’s early lead was still seen as inconclusive.
“I have noticed massive fraud. There are electoral cards that are fake,” Ravalomanana told AFP on Thursday at his campaign headquarters in the capital Antananarivo.
