Guinea Ex-Premier Claims Election Win Before Official Results

(Bloomberg) -- Former Guinean Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo declared himself the winner of the nation’s presidential election, two days before results are scheduled to be released.

“Despite anomalies which marred the good running of the ballot and given the results from the polling stations, I emerged victorious in the first round,” Diallo said in a short speech Monday in the capital, Conakry.

President Alpha Conde, 82, and Diallo, 68, are the frontrunners in the 12-person race to lead the world’s top bauxite producer. Conde, backed by Russia and who’s beaten Diallo twice before, is seeking a third term in office after a referendum in March paved the way for him to run even though the Guinean constitution imposes a two-term limit.

Official results are expected by Oct. 21 and must be validated by the Constitutional Court.

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