Opposition leader Zéphirin Diabré, an unsuccessful presidential candidate in Burkina Faso, conceded defeat, according to President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, whose reelection in the first round was proclaimed Thursday by the electoral commission.

The latter announced Friday, November 27 on Twitter that he had received congratulations from the leader of the opposition, Zéphirin Diabré.  

"This Friday evening, I received congratulations from the presidential candidate Zéphirin Diabré. I salute his approach which is in line with the republican spirit of our political class and testifies to the maturity of our democracy" , he writes. 

The tweet is illustrated by a photo of the two men together.

The opposition, which threatened not to recognize the result, "took note" of the announcement on Thursday, while announcing to reserve the right to challenge it in court. 

"The best interests of the nation"

On the site of Zéphirin Diabré's party, the Union for Progress and Change (UPC), the central executive office continues to "highlight the major shortcomings that have marred the regularity and sincerity of this double ballot" and again " takes note of the results thus proclaimed ".  

"Considering the difficult situation our country is going through; considering that social cohesion is an imperative need for living together", the office reaffirms its "renewed will to always preserve peace, stability and security in Burkina Faso by placing the best interests of the nation above all other considerations ".  

This press release, published before Kaboré's tweet, does not openly congratulate the president.

Considered until then as the leader of the opposition, Zéphirin Diabré came in third position with 12.46% of the vote, behind President Kaboré (57.87%), but also Eddie Komboïgo (15.84%), candidate of the party of ex-president Blaise Compaoré, whose regime is the subject of growing nostalgia.

With Reuters

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