Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah speaks during a press conference in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, on April 27, 2014. Abdullah Abdullah on Sunday said that he will decide whether to take part in a possible runoff election after the final results are announced. (Xinhua/Ahmad Massoud)
KABUL, April 27 (Xinhua) -- A leading Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah on Sunday said that he will decide whether to take part in a possible runoff election after the final results are announced.
"We are not fearful of second round elections, but it is too early to judge that the elections will go to runoff," Abdullah told reporters here.
"If the elections process is legal, we will accept the lawful and legitimate outcome," the former foreign minister said, adding "if the invalid votes were separated from valid ballots, there will be no need for a second round of elections."
The third presidential election since the fall of the Taliban regime in late 2001 was held on April 5.
On Saturday, the Afghan Independent Election Commission (IEC) announced the preliminary results, with Dr. Abdullah in the lead with 44.9 percent of the votes, followed by Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai who obtained 31.5 percent and Dr. Zalmai Rassoul who won 11.5 percent.
To secure an outright victory, a candidate must win more than 50 percent of valid ballots. Otherwise, the top two candidates will go into a runoff. According to the election timetable, if the runoff is needed, it will take place on May 28.
However, Abdullah said that irregularities, fraud and interfering of government officials took place during the polls.
"Shortage of ballot papers were reported. We had registered complaints. There is no answer about our complaints so far. We want a transparent election," he said.
"Some of our observers were not allowed to do their job on time and to visit polling stations. I had said in the past that my real rival is fraud. We will pursue all irregularities and complaints," he said.
Nearly 7 million Afghans of some 12 million eligible voters cast their ballots in the April 5 presidential elections amid Taliban threat of violence and tight security.
Earlier on Sunday, Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, a former finance minister, said that he was ready to run in second round elections if it takes place.
KABUL, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Afghan presidential candidate Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, who was declared the second winner in preliminary results on Sunday, said he was ready to take part in runoff elections if the polls take place. Full story
KABUL, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Afghan presidential elections would go into the second round after the preliminary result showed Saturday that none of the candidates obtained an outright victory.
"Dr. Abdullah Abdullah was ahead with 44.9 percent of the votes, followed by Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai who obtained 31.5 percent and Dr. Zalmai Rassoul who won 11.5 percent," chairman of the election commission Mohammad Yusuf Nuristani told a press conference here.Full story
KABUL, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Abdullah Abdullah is leading other Afghan presidential candidates as over 80 percent of votes have been counted, chairman of election commission Mohammad Yusuf Nuristani told a press conference here Thursday.Full story
KABUL, April 21 (Xinhua) -- As the results of nearly 50 percent of the votes cast in the April 5 presidential elections were announced by Afghanistan's Election Commission on Sunday, local newspapers in their editorials on Monday foresaw a second round in the presidential race.Full story
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