Four days after the provisional results of the presidential vote were announced, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno has attracted some strong acknowledgement from African leaders who on the face of it have acted with deference to his election as Chad’s next president.
But this is not so in Western capitals, like Paris, Brussels and Washington where his election has been met with a tepid reaction at best.
In Africa, presidents have been lining up to congratulate the 40-year-old who led a three-year transition program which culiminated in presidential elections last week. They include Mauritania’s Mohamed Ould Ghanouzi, who is also chairman of the African Union, Madagascar’s Andry Rajoelina, the Central African Republic’s Faustin Archange Touadera, and Guinea-Bissau’s Umaro Sissoko Emballo.
There were also congratulatory messages from Kenya’s William Ruto, Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu, Abdourahamane Thiani of Niger, Gabon’s Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema and Burundi’s Evariste Ndayishimiyé.
Among the international institutions, ECCAS, CEN-SAD and the OIF took note of the results and reiterated their commitment to working with Chad.
On the European continent, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban also congratulated the transitional president on his election in the first round.
On the other hand, France, the United States and the European Union, considered as key partners of Chad, have remained coy over the results.
Mahamat Deby’s victory in the first round with 61.03 percent is being contested by his Prime Minister and main poll challenger, Dr. Succes Masra.
Dr. Masra has petitioned the constitutional council over the outcome.
According to political scientist Dr. Evariste Ngarlem Tolde, his appeal, even if admissible, will in no way change the results announced by the election supervising body (ANGE.)
“The position of the constitutional council will not differ from that of ANGE. These results will not change one iota. And it has to be said that Dr. Succes Masra helped to create these institutional monsters that are devouring him today,” he opines.
