Equatorial Guinea’s authorities on Saturday announced the re-election of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo for a sixth term, reported The Africa News.
The 80-year old leader has been serving as the president since 1979. He was the successor to Francisco Macias Nguema, who had become Equatorial Guinea’s first president upon independence from Spain in 1968.
Announcing the results, Faustino Ndong Esono Eyang, the head of Equatorial Guinea’s electoral commission said Obiang had won with 94.9% of the votes. The voting results were announced 6 days after the elections were conducted.
“The results of the general election solemnly proclaim His Excellency Obiang NGuema Mbasogo President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea for a term of seven years”, said Esono Eyang.
Obiang had the backing of a coalition of 15 parties, including his party, the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE). The electoral body, however, did not announce the vote percentages won by the opposition candidates.
Notably, Obiang is the longest-ruling head of state in the world excluding monarchs. Back in 2011, the president lifted Equatorial Guinea’s constitutional age limit of 75 for governing.
Obiang has never officially been re-elected with less than 93 percent of the vote. He got 99% of the vote in 1989, when the country was still a one-party state, 97.8% in 1996, 97.1% in 2002, 95.7% in 2009 and 93.7% percent in 2016 election. There have been a couple coups to displace him, but, none have been successful.
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is known for his authoritarian regime in the oil-rich African country, his son is the Vice President of the central African nation.
After the announcement of the election results, his son, Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue said, “The results prove us right again.”
Mangue, who is widely seen as Obaing’s successor, took to social media to announce the number of seats won by the winning party coalition.
