Provisional results of Sunday’s presidential polls in the West African nation of Guinea show that 41-year-old junta leader Colonel Mamady Doumbouya has been elected president with 86.72 percent of the valid votes cast. This is according to international news media Al Jazeera and other global news networks.

Yero Balde, a former education minister in the ousted President Conde’s government clinched second position with 6.51 percent.

Guinea’s elections body said 80.95 percent of the 6.7 million people registered voted in the poll.

Doumbouya overthrew democratically elected President Alpha Conde in 2021 and has led a junta government until Sunday’s polls in which he contested and won. It suffices to say the mineral-rich nation has transitioned from junta leadership to democratic rule with the very same leader. 

According to the country’s new constitution which ushered in the election, the ‌Supreme Court has eight days to validate the results in the ‍event the result is challenged in court.

Critics say the election was just a way or a mere tool used by the junta leader to legitimize power as very influential,  prominent opposition leaders were barred from contesting.

Guinea’s 2025 Constitution, which was drafted by the military regime which also conducted a referendum on same, allows the coup leader to contest.

*Written By Amara Thoronka