Maldives Elections Commission confirms Yameen as president-elect

Male, Nov 17: The Maldives' Elections Commission announced early Sunday the preliminary results of the second round of presidential election, and confirmed Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) candidate Abdulla Yameen as the president-elect.

Elections Commission President Fuad Thaufeeq announced that Abdulla Yameen won 111,203 votes in Saturday's election, or 51.39 percent of the votes, at a press conference, Xinhua reported.

Former president and candidate for the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Mohamed Nasheed garnered 105,181 votes, or 48.61 percent.

The commission said a formal announcement of Yameen's victory would be made early Sunday ahead of his inauguration later in the day.

According to Fuad, the voter turnout for the run-off was 91.41 percent with 218,621 people voting out of the country's 239,165 eligible voters.

Nasheed has earlier conceded defeat at a press conference.

The president-elect said at his press conference that he would try to announce his cabinet Sunday.

IANS