Togo kicks off presidential vote

Togo’s voters began to cast their ballots on Saturday to choose a new president amid peace and serenity.

Some 3.5 million eligible voters of the West African nation will decide between incumbent president Faure Gnassingbe and four challengers in 8,994 polling stations nationwide, which were opened at local time 7:00 a.m. and set to close at 4:00 p.m.


To ensure a transparent, democratic and free poll, nearly 2,506 observers are mobilized, of which 490 from the African Union, West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and the Goree Institute.

Gnassingbe is seeking a third term in office. He won presidential election on April 2005, and was re-elected for a second term in 2010.

(Xinhua)