Niger's opposition parties today said they did not recognise the first partial results of the recent presidential polls.
"We cannot recognise them such as they have been proclaimed so far," said Amadou Babacar Cisse, spokesman for the opposition coalition in response to results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) following polls held on Sunday and yesterday.
A total of 7.5 million people were eligible to vote across the country on the edge of the Sahara desert, where security is a growing concern after attacks by jihadists from neighbouring Nigeria, Mali and Libya.
Known as the "Zaki" or "Lion" in Hausa, the majority language in Niger, President Mahamadou Issoufou is seeking a second five-year term.
In an interview with AFP last week, the 63-year-old leader said he was "absolutely" confident of a swift victory in the first round of the poll.
According to the authorities, results should be announced within five days of the close of voting.
