With results of 97% of the polling stations declared from Sunday’s presidential vote, Jose Maria Neves, 61, and former Prime Minister for 15 years has defeated his rival Carlos Veiga,72, with more than 51% of the vote.
Veiga, himself a former Prime Minister for 10 years has conceded defeat and congratulated Neves.
Official website Eleicoes jointly set up by Cabo Verde‘s electoral management authorities showed that Neves, supported by the opposition PAICV received 51.5% of the vote against 42.6% scored by Veiga, who is backed by the ruling MpD.
Turn-out was put at 48.2%.
The National Electoral Commission, CNE, is expected to make the result official on Monday.
The Commission registered a total of 398,864 voters from an estimated population of 550,000 people on the Islands’ nation and in the diaspora.
Counting of ballots began in earnest after 11- hour voting to choose a new president from a field of seven candidates with Neves and Veiga as the frontrunners.
Neves’ supporters have already started jubilating in Praia, the nation’s capital.
The electoral process has been generally peaceful in the Archipelago, which has a reputation for political stability since its independence from Portugal in 1975.