Sudan has delayed the release of results from the presidential election until Saturday as officials continue to count votes, the country's top electoral authority said Monday.
"Results from the presidential elections will be published in four (business) days, as the figures from several states have not come in yet," said Abdel Moneim al-Zein al-Nahas, head of the General Election Commission.
Friday, the Islamic holy day, is a non-working day in Sudan.
Nahas said results from the legislative elections, which took place alongside the presidential vote from December 13 to 22, would still be released Monday if figures were received by the election commission.
The election commission on Sunday released a preliminary tally of the presidential poll from several districts, showing incumbent Omar al-Bashir winning more than three times the votes of his nearest competitor, former dictator Jaafer Nimeiri.
Opposition forces had boycotted the election, calling the vote a scam.
On Sunday, some 30 people protested outside the General Election Commission's headquarters and were put down by police who fired tear-gas at them.
Two protesters suffered light injuries, while two others were arrested, an AFP reporter witnessed.
The demonstrators claimed that one of the candidates from Bashir's ruling National Congress, Babakr al-Ata, was being declared the winner "thanks to fraud." -- KHARTOUM (AFP)
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