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Togo votes in presidential poll 'Irregularities' in Togo election
(about 8 hours later)
People in Togo are voting in elections to chose a new head of state - five years after hundreds died after a disputed presidential election. The main opposition party in Togo has claimed widespread irregularities in the country's presidential election.
People in Togo voted on Thursday to chose a new head of state - five years after hundreds died following the last, disputed election.
President Faure Gnassingbe is running for a second term, and his main challenger is Jean Pierre Fabre of the Union of Forces for Change (UFC).President Faure Gnassingbe is running for a second term, and his main challenger is Jean Pierre Fabre of the Union of Forces for Change (UFC).
A BBC reporter says in parts of the capital people were queuing peacefully two hours before polls opened.
All parties have been stressing the need for a peaceful poll.All parties have been stressing the need for a peaceful poll.
The UFC has pointed to several problems with the voting that it says could lead to fraud.
The ballot papers did not have serial numbers, only the stubs did, says the BBC's Caspar Leighton in Lome.
The numberless ballot papers can be used to stuff ballot boxes from elsewhere, the UFC says.
"The electoral code has not been respected. Nothing has been done today to ensure the transparency of this vote," the UFC head of communications Eric Dupuy told the BBC.
More than 500 observers from the African Union, the West African group Ecowas and the European Union are monitoring the vote.More than 500 observers from the African Union, the West African group Ecowas and the European Union are monitoring the vote.
The BBC's Ebow Godwin in Lome says there was an air of excitement at polling stations he visited in opposition strongholds of the capital.
But he said that voters were too nervous to speak into a microphone and voting got off to a late start in some parts of the city.
An election observer in Lome told the BBC the process so far was "slow but peaceful".An election observer in Lome told the BBC the process so far was "slow but peaceful".
Correspondents say President Gnassingbe is hoping to be re-elected in circumstances that will win the approval that was so lacking at the last election.Correspondents say President Gnassingbe is hoping to be re-elected in circumstances that will win the approval that was so lacking at the last election.
'No chances''No chances'
The 2005 vote happened soon after the military had installed him in power on the death of his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema.The 2005 vote happened soon after the military had installed him in power on the death of his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema.
The main opposition party, the UFC, believes it won the last election.The main opposition party, the UFC, believes it won the last election.
President Gnassingbe was installed by the military before the 2005 votePresident Gnassingbe was installed by the military before the 2005 vote
Hundreds died in ensuing protests. Campaigning this time around has been peaceful and has at times strayed into good-natured rivalry. Hundreds died in ensuing protests. Campaigning this time around was peaceful and at times strayed into good-natured rivalry.
But the authorities are taking no chances and are mixing the message of harmony with the presence of a 6,000-strong election security force. But the authorities took no chances and mixed the message of harmony with the presence of a 6,000-strong election security force.
The structures in place for this election point to a desire to be seen to be doing the right thing. The structures in place for this election pointed to a desire to be seen to be doing the right thing.
For the first time there is an independent electoral commission. For the first time there was an independent electoral commission.
The government website is being more than just a government mouthpiece and talks in fair terms about the opposition campaigns. The government website was being more than just a government mouthpiece and talked in fair terms about the opposition campaigns.
But there have been claims that the ruling party of President Gnassingbe has far more resources behind its campaign than the opposition and that the vote will not be fair. The electoral commissioner said election results should be ready after 72 hours. But there is a lack of clarity about how long the counting will actually take, our correspondent says.
The run-up to the election saw some opposition leaders suspend participation in the campaign because they were unhappy with the organisation of the election.
Polls are due to close at 1700 GMT and the electoral commissioner says results should be ready after 72 hours.