Togolese presidential vote postponed to March 4

The Togolese presidential election scheduled for Feb. 28 has been postponed to March 4, a government decree said on Thursday.

President Faure Gnassingbe made the decision during a cabinet meeting with the aim of "permanently seeking consensus and maintaining a peaceful climate during the electoral process," according to the decree.

The election campaign will also be delayed to Feb. 16 from Feb. 13.

The postponement came after the talks between Gnassingbe and Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore, a mediator of the inter-Togo dialogue since 2006, said the decree.

The upcoming vote marks the end of the first term of Gnassingbe who came into power after an election marred by violence in April 2005.

Gnassingbe, who is seeking reelection, will face six contenders from the opposition, including Brigitte Kafui Adjamagbo-Johnson, the first woman to run for the presidency in the West African country.

Gnassingbe is the son of Gen. Gnassingbe Eyadema, who died on Feb. 5, 2005 after being in power for 38 years.

Source: Xinhua