Faure Gnassingbe wins 4th term as Togo president

Togo’s incumbent President Faure Gnassingbe won the fourth term with over 70% of votes in Saturday’s polls, according to the electoral commission.

Gnassingbe was re-elected in the first round of the polls with 72.36% of votes, followed by former Prime Minister Agbeyome Kodjo 18.37%, Tchambakou Ayassor, head of the electoral commission said late Sunday.

“Thank you for the renewed confidence. Yes, let's go! Gnassingbe said on Twitter.

He also thanked Togo’s young people who came out to celebrate his “victory in the name of democracy.”

The opposition, meanwhile, denounced the election as a massive fraud.

The 53-year-old assumed power in 2005 after the death of his father, Eyadema Gnassingbe, who led the country for 38 years following a 1967 coup.

The ruling party Union for the Republic (UNIR) had pledged to create 500,000 jobs across the country by 2022 if re-elected. Gnassingbe had also promised to push ahead with reforms.