Togo Votes in Presidential Poll

Over three million voters in the West African nation of Togo started casting their ballots in the presidential election Thursday.

Incumbent President Faure Gnassingbe is seeking re-election against six opposition candidates. Gnassingbe, son of Togo’s long-ruling leader Gnassingbe Eyadema, has been in power since his father’s death in 2005.

Eyadema had ruled Togo for 38 years from 1967 until his death in 2005. When he died, the country’s military immediately installed Faure as president before public protests forced him to step down and organize an election, which he won amid claims of fraud.

President Gnassingbe’s main challenger is Jean-Pierre Fabre, who agreed to run after long-term opposition leader Gilchrist Olympio’s candidacy was rejected. [PE]