Ivory Coast re-elects president Ouattara for third term

President Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Coast has provisionally re-elected into office for a third term, the electoral commission announced early on Tuesday.

Ouattara swept 94.27% of the votes after a bitter election that sparked deadly violence and was boycotted by opposition voters, Reuters reports.

“Thus elected president of the republic, Alassane Ouattara,” Kuibiert-Coulibaly Ibrahime, the head of the electoral commission announced.

He said the final turnout for the Oct. 31 election was at 53.90%.

The results have to be validated by the country’s constitutional council which will declare the final winner after hearing any challenges or complaints of irregularities.

Ouattara, 78, received over 90% in most districts in Saturday’s vote, although the opposition said his bid was an illegal attempt to hold onto power.

The Ivorian constitution limits presidents to two terms, but Ouattara says the approval of a new constitution in 2016 allowed him to restart his mandate.

The disagreement led to clashes in the lead up to the vote, in which at least 30 people died. At least five more were killed on Saturday, officials said.

The country was spared the widespread violence that many feared would erupt during voting, but many Ivorians fear that the country could experience longer-term unrest.