From the APS special correspondent: Abdou Kogne Sall
Nouakchott, June 30 (APS) – The Mauritanian Minister of the Interior, Mohamed Ahmed Ould Mohamed Lemine, assured, Sunday evening in Nouakchott, that everything will be done to guarantee the tranquility and security of citizens following clashes recorded in certain districts of the capital after the announcement of trends placing the outgoing head of state in the position of running for a second term in the first round.
“We will do everything possible to ensure that Mauritanian citizens feel safe in all conditions. Young people, mostly minors, have tried to erect barricades in some places, but everything is being done to guarantee the safety of citizens and foreigners residing in the country,” he said.
Speaking in Arabic during a press briefing organized at the Ministry of the Interior and Decentralization, he, without naming him, invited one of the candidates in Saturday’s presidential election to call on his young supporters to exercise restraint.
“The Ministry of the Interior will not allow, under any circumstances and at any cost, any attack on security and tranquility. All security organs have the necessary instructions, means and availability to firmly confront any attempt to attack security and public tranquility throughout the national territory,” he said.
He argued that “opportunists and deceived adolescents, affiliated with a particular candidate, tried, throughout the day, in some neighborhoods of the capital, to disturb the atmosphere of tranquility and security, by burning tires to disrupt traffic, trying to intimidate peaceful citizens and damaging their property.”
Mohamed Ahmed Ould Mohamed Lemine deplored “acts of sabotage which were brought under control thanks to a rigorous security plan by the security services”, adding: “Those who seek to lead the country should be more concerned than anyone else to ensure security citizens and their property”.
The Minister of the Interior is undoubtedly referring to Biram Dah Abeid, anti-slavery activist, and main opponent of the regime, whose supporters tried to take to the streets as the results were compiled by the National Electoral Commission. independent (CENI) gave the outgoing president a clear lead.
Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, in power since 2019, is set to lead the Islamic Republic of Mauritania for the next five years in light of trends emanating from the computer system for processing and compiling electoral data and results.
The data from Sunday’s counting of all 4,503 polling stations spread across Mauritanian territory and abroad place Mr. Ghazouani at the top of the poll with a score of 56.12%.
Results already rejected by Biram Dah Abeid, his main challenger, credited with 22.10%.
He, in a public declaration, claimed victory and “congratulated the people for having voted against the government”.
”They voted and defeated power. This is why the CENI is preparing results. We have the right to say no. This won’t happen. We will defend the result of the election which gives President Ghazouani the loser,” he said.
He did not fail to invite those in power to accept the people’s decision.
”We warn foreign partners against any inclination to support an electoral coup that the CENI would like to begin to legitimize and push through,” he insisted.
The CENI has until Tuesday to publish the provisional results.
The official results will be announced by the Constitutional Council on Wednesday at the latest.
Nearly two million Mauritanian voters were called to the polls to choose a President of the Republic from among seven candidates including the outgoing head of state.
The polls were held normally in the capital and other localities of the country despite some shortcomings deplored by candidates. The turnout is projected at 55.39%.
AKS
