Ivory Coast's Ouattara takes early lead in election

Security forces members stand guard at the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) a day after the presidential election in Abidjan, Ivory Coast November 1, 2020. [Reuters, Luc Gnago]

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara took a strong early lead on Sunday as he seeks a third term in an election that has been marked by deadly violence, winning all 26 of the voting districts that were announced by the electoral commission.

Ouattara, 78, won at least 90 per cent of the vote in the majority of the districts announced from Saturday’s poll, most of which are ruling party strongholds. There are 108 districts in total.