Obiang Nguema wins by 93.7%, turn out 93.7%

Malabo, Equatorial Guinea | AFP |

Africa’s longest-serving leader, Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, extended his 36-year rule Thursday after being re-elected president with 93.7 percent of the vote, according to the provisional results of weekend elections.

The results announced by the National Election Commission showed his two closest rivals, Bonaventura Monsuy Asumu and Avelino Mocache Mehengap, trailing far behind, with 1.5 percent each.

Turnout in the April 24 vote was also 93.7 percent.

A total of seven candidates ran for the top job but 73-year-old Obiang, who has ruled the west African country with an iron fist since 1979 when he ousted his uncle Francisco Macias Nguema in a coup, was seen as a shoo-in.

Commission chief Clemente Engonga admitted to anomalies in some of the results, with the number of votes cast in some areas exceeding the number of registered voters.

Engonga explained this by saying some voters had “no doubt” been travelling on election day and voted outside of their constituencies.