Electoral commission spokesman Bamba Yacouba has announced vote tallies from about 2.2 million of the country’s 5.7 million registered voters so far. The results show Gbagbo with about 35 percent of votes cast, compared to roughly the same amount for opposition leader Alassane Ouattara, according to Associated Press tabulation. Ex-president Henri Konan Bedie was in third place with about 27 percent.
The vote, the first since a brief civil war split the world’s No. 1 cocoa producer in two, is seen as a critical turning point in Ivory Coast’s history. Many hope it will restore stability and reunify the country, but some worry it could trigger unrest if political rivals fail to accept the outcome.
Uncertainty and a two-day-lapse in releasing results from Sunday’s poll have fueled new fears of possible unrest. On Tuesday, many businesses and restaurants in the main city, Abidjan, shut down or sent workers home early, and highways in the skyscraper-lined city were void of usual traffic jams. The head of the armed forces, Gen. Phillipe Mangou, went on State television to urge residents to go back to work as normal and stay calm.
If no candidate wins a simple majority, the top two finishers will face off in a second round Nov. 28.
