Al-Bashir vows to be president for all Sudanese people

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Monday vowed to be president for all the Sudanese people after he was announced winner in Sudan's presidential polls.

"The transparency and fairness of the elections have defeated the talks about the elections turnout," said al-Bashir when addressing a celebration organized by his ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

He stressed that Sudan is a free and independent country which rejects any guardianship, saying "Sudan, which gained its independence from the colonial rule in early 1956, rejects any guardianship or dictation from any party."

Al-Bashir praised the stances of the Sudanese people and hailed those who cast their votes and those who did not, saying "those who have not voted have also exercised their constitutional right."

On Monday, the Sudan National Elections Commission (NEC) announced al-Bashir's re-election for a new term of office after winning the presidential polls by obtaining 94.5 percent.

"Al-Bashir won the presidential polls after obtaining 5,252, 478 votes out of 6,091,412 votes, or 94, 5 percent from the valid votes," said Mukhtar al-Asam, NEC Chairman, at a press conference here Monday.

The NEC chairman explained that the participation rate in the elections reached 46.4 percent after 6,091,412 voters, out of 13,126,989 registered voters, cast their votes.

Al-Bashir competed against 15 other candidates, some of them representing small parties with little popular support, while the rest ran as independents. Endit