MOSCOW, Jan. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Opposition leader Sergei Bagapsh won a landslide victory in Wednesday's presidential election in Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia, the republic's Central Electoral Commission (CEC) announced Thursday.

    CEC chief Batal Tabagua said Bagapsh won 91.1 percent of the vote, demolishing his only rival, the People's Party leader Yakub Lakoba, who took just 4.5 percent, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

    Voter turnout at 58.5 percent exceeded the 50 percent required to validate the poll.

    So far no complaints or statements have been made that could influence the outcome of the election, Tabagua was cited as saying.

    The poll was held after the Abkhazian Supreme Court annulled the disputed results of an election last October in which Bagapsh won over his major rival, Abkhazia's former Prime Minister Rual Khadzhimba.

    After being declared victor on Thursday, Bagapsh said he won inthe republic's "first really democratic election" which offers "a very good future for our republic," Itar-Tass reported.

    Bagapsh said his victory will put an end to the current political crisis in Abkhazia and help stabilize social order.

    He said he plans to form "a government of national unity" comprising "only true professionals", the Interfax news agency quoted him a saying.

    Abkhazia has enjoyed de facto independence from Georgia since fighting a separatist war in the early 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The region has been seeking to integrate with Russia against the wishes of Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili who has vowed to regain control over the republic and another rebel region, South Ossetia.

    Bagapsh said Thursday that any future dialogue between Abkhaziaand Georgia must be held under the premise that both sides are equal and independent states.

    He regarded with great optimism relations with Russia and advocated further integration with Moscow, stressing that Abkhaziawill have no future without financial and legal assistance from Russia.

    The president-elect, who is set to be inaugurated within a month, emphasized the need to stem lawlessness in the republic, combat crime and fight corruption.

    "We shall go out of our way to turn Abkhazia into a law-governed state," Bagapsh stressed. Enditem