Togo awaits results of presidential poll

The people of Togo are patiently awaiting the results of a crucial presidential election after they had cast their votes last Saturday.

The exercise was supervised by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Voting, which started at 7a.m. and ended at 4p.m.  was generally peaceful.

As at noon yesterday, the streets were very quiet and people were eager to know the outcome of the results. 

Last Saturday, there were long queues of voters who waited patiently for their turn, while others were seen going through the register to ensure they were at the right polling station.

In few cases, some of the voters realised that they had gone to the wrong stations, and were directed to the right centres.

Earlier at the Protestant College Centre in Lome, the Head of the centre, Mr Aholu Yaovi, said the programme had been going on peacefully and was very happy about the turnout at the centre which had 15 polling stations.

 By 10:30a.m. last Saturday, Mr Jean Pierre Fabre, the candidate of the Opposition Alliance for Change had cast his vote at the Lycee de Kodjoviakope polling centre where voting had also gone on peacefully.

The candidate of the Union Pour La Republique (UNIR), Mr Gnassingbe Faure Essonzimna, cast his vote at the Ecole Primairie Publique Camp, General Gnassingbe Eyadema  (EPP Camp GGE) polling station number seven. 

A day after the election

A day after the ballot in the presidential election, the usually very busy streets in Lome, the capital, remained generally very quiet and empty. 

During a visit to the market centre and a drive through the capital yesterday, it was observed that there were virtually no trading activities as the traders were said to be monitoring the situation before engaging in their normal business activities.

Shops still remained closed even in areas noted for their busy commercial activities.

Commercial vehicles, which would have usually been the streets, were parked.

It was only in a few places that some small-scale commercial activities were going on. 

Awaiting results

A few traders had displayed their wares at some parts of the market, but sales were very low.

Some women who initially had expressed fear in talking to the Daily Graphic, said everybody was anxious to hear the results.

Ms Madeleine da Silveira and Ms Houedo Ayele Antivi  told the Daily Graphic they had come to sell their wares,but were still being careful and observing the situation.

 They said most of their colleagues had not come to the market because they were not sure of the behaviour of some electorate after the results were released.

They also admitted others had gone to church,while some decided to remain at home to await the results of the election.

Others said they thought the voting exercise had ended and they needed to sell their products.

On the beach road, where restaurants and shops would normally have been full and very busy, not much activity was going on.