MALI: Opposition leaders refuse to back challenger in run-off

The third and fourth-place finishers in the first round of Mali’s presidential election declined on Thursday to endorse opposition leader Soumaila Cisse in Sunday’s run-off, dealing a blow to his hopes of defeating President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. Keita, who is seeking a second term, won the first round last month with over 41 percent of […]

The third and fourth-place finishers in the first round of Mali’s presidential election declined on Thursday to endorse opposition leader Soumaila Cisse in Sunday’s run-off, dealing a blow to his hopes of defeating President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

Keita, who is seeking a second term, won the first round last month with over 41 percent of the vote. Cisse finished second with nearly 18 percent.

Cisse has alleged there was widespread fraud in the first round and has been trying to unite the other two dozen candidates behind him for the run-off.

Keita’s camp denies there was fraud and the constitutional court on Wednesday upheld the results, despite challenges by Cisse, third-place finisher Aliou Diallo and fourth-placed Cheick Modibo Diarra. 

But Diallo, who received 8 percent of the vote, and Diarra, who claimed over 7 percent, both encouraged their supporters to make up their own minds for the second round.