Mauritania coup leader declared poll winner

By AHMED MOHAMED
Associated Press
2009-07-24 05:34 AM

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Gen. Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz speaks to the press shortly after being declared the victor in the previous day's presidential election, in central Nouakchott, Mauritania Sunday, July 19, 2009. Nearly a year after seizing power in a military putsch that ousted Mauritania's first freely elected leader, Aziz won the presidency Sunday in a landslide vote his opponents decried as a fraudulent "electoral coup." (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

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Supporters of Gen. Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz gesture to passing cars as they celebrate after Aziz was declared the victor in the previous day's presidential election, in central Nouakchott, Mauritania Sunday, July 19, 2009. Nearly a year after seizing power in a military putsch that ousted Mauritania's first freely elected leader, Aziz won the presidency Sunday in a landslide vote his opponents decried as a fraudulent "electoral coup." (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

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Gen. Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, left, speaks to the press shortly after being declared the victor in the previous day's presidential election, in central Nouakchott, Mauritania Sunday, July 19, 2009. Nearly a year after seizing power in a military putsch that ousted Mauritania's first freely elected leader, Aziz won the presidency Sunday in a landslide vote his opponents decried as a fraudulent "electoral coup." (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Associated Press

The Constitutional Court says Mauritania's coup leader has officially won presidential elections.

Final results show Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz received 52.47 percent of Saturday's vote. The results announced late Thursday by Judge Abdallahi Ould Ely Salem match preliminary results given Sunday.

The head of the election commission announced Thursday he was resigning due to doubts about the fairness of the vote but he said he had no proof of fraud.

The court also dismissed an opposition challenge arguing the results should be thrown out. International observers said the West African country's ballot was free of major problems.

Aziz seized power in the coup but resigned as junta leader to run in the elections.