Guinea's Diallo says he won first round of presidential election

Guinea opposition candidate Cellou Dalein Diallo declared on Monday that he had won the first round of the hotly contested Oct. 18 presidential election in the West African state, heralding a potential stand-off with election authorities. "Despite the serious anomalies that marred the smooth running of the...

Guinea opposition candidate Cellou Dalein Diallo declared on Monday that he had won the first round of the hotly contested Oct. 18 presidential election in the West African state, heralding a potential stand-off with election authorities.

"Despite the serious anomalies that marred the smooth running of the... election and in view of the results that came out of the ballot boxes, I am victorious in this election in the first round," Diallo told journalists and cheering supporters. He did not give any figures but said the tally was based on his party's count, not an official tally being conducted by the national election commission, which has yet to publish results.

Diallo is the main challenger to Guinea's 82-year-old incumbent President Alpha Conde, who is seeking a third mandate after a constitutional change in March which sparked deadly protests.