Sudanese president declared winner of elections

April 26, 2010 The Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir, has been declared the winner of this month's elections, after the first multiparty polls in 24 years. Salva Kiir, a former rebel leader, meanwhile, was also declared president of the semi-autonomous southern Sudan in separate elections.

According to the Sudanese election commission, al-Bashir won 68% of the vote, while Salva Kiir obtained 93% of the vote out of slightly more than 2.5 million total votes.

"The first [was] Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir. He was the candidate and won," said Abel Alier, the chairman for Sudan's National Elections Commission.

Observers and the opposition complained of fraud in the elections; two of al-Bashir's main opponents withdrew before the voting began, accusing the polling process of being rigged. Al-Bashir is also wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes, which issued a warrant for his arrest, although al-Bashir denies the allegations.