In a twist to Guinea‑Bissau’s highly contested presidential election, both incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and his main challenger are claiming victory, raising fears of a political standoff. The conflicting declarations come as official results from the vote held earlier this week have yet to be confirmed by the country’s electoral commission. President Embaló, who came into power in 2020, has declared that he has won re-election, citing early returns from his party structure and claiming a decisive popular mandate. Meanwhile, his challenger has issued a counter‑claim on social media, arguing that polling station tabulations favour him, and alleging that some of the board of elections data is incorrect or manipulated.
The dispute threatens to plunge the country into uncertainty. Political analysts warn that if results are not quickly and transparently verified, tensions could escalate into mass protests or even institutional impasse.
Regional bodies, including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), have urged calm and called on the electoral commission to fast-track the announcement of validated results and provide full transparency to avoid a backlash.
