Doumbouya had placed well ahead in districts of the capital Conakry, often winning more than 80 per cent, according to official partial results read out by Toure earlier on RTG public television.

He had a similar lead in several other areas, including Coyah, a town near Conakry, and in other parts of the country, such as Boffa and Fria in the west, Gaoual in the northwest, northern Koundara and Labe, and Nzerekore in the southeast.

However, a citizens’ movement calling for the return of civilian rule questioned the figure.

“A huge majority of Guineans chose to boycott the electoral charade,” the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution said in a statement Monday.

In September 2021, Doumbouya led a coup to topple Guinea’s first freely elected president, Alpha Conde.

He has cracked down on civil liberties and banned protests, while opponents have been arrested, put on trial or driven into exile.

– ‘Ballot stuffing’ allegations –

Candidate Abdoulaye Yero Balde denounced “serious irregularities”, citing in a statement late Monday in particular the refusal to grant his representatives access to vote-counting centres and allegations of “ballot stuffing” in some areas.

Another candidate, Faya Millimono, complained of “electoral banditry” linked, he said, to influence exerted on voters.