Both independent candidate Fernando Dias and incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embalo claimed victory on Monday following the weekend’s presidential election, as the country waits for official results.
Dias, considered the frontrunner, hailed voter participation as a demonstration of a desire for change.
Speaking to local media, he said his team has already compiled the results and is certain the election was decided in the first round, with official confirmation from the electoral commission pending.
Dias asserted that he led in nearly every region, while earlier raising concerns over alleged attempts to interfere with vote counting.
Dias enjoys the backing of former Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira, Embalo’s main challenger in 2019.
Pereira, a key figure in Guinea-Bissau’s independence movement, was barred from this year’s race due to late filing of candidacy documents.
Meanwhile, Embalo’s campaign spokesperson Oscar Barbosa declared that the incumbent had won, asserting “there would be no second round.”
The National Electoral Commission has pledged to release the official results by Thursday, warning the public, candidates, and media against premature announcements.
