Niger top court confirms Bazoum as new president

Niger's constitutional court has confirmed Mohamed Bazoum of the ruling PNDS party as winner of a presidential run-off held last month.

Mr Bazoum won with 55.66% of the votes while his challenger Mahamane Ousmane of the RDR-Tchanji party received 45.34% of the votes, according to the final results published on Sunday.

The turnout was 62.81%. 

The opposition coalition, Cap 2021, and its allies had contested the results, alleging fraud. It claimed victory with 50.3% of the vote.

On Saturday the authorities banned a planned march by the opposition in the capital, Niamey, because it was seen as a "risk to public order" and "for reasons of health emergency" related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is Niger's first transition from one democratically elected leader to another, with President Mahamadou Issoufou stepping down after two five-year terms.

The new president is a former interior minister and close ally of Mr Issoufou.

Niger, which is the world's poorest country, is struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

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