Lagos — After weeks of political tension, Madagascar's President Marc Ravalomanana yesterday stepped down, dissolved the government and handed power to the military, but the military refused to hold on to power. It would rather have the opposition leader Andry Rajoelina rule the country.

In a radio address announcing his resignation, Ravalomanana said power would be handed to a military directorate, but it is understood that the head general turned down an offer to take over.

A spokesman for Ravalomanana told Reuters news agency power had been handed to the most senior figure in the military, Navy Admiral Hyppolite Ramaroson.

But Col. Andre Ndriarijaona, who last week said he had replaced the military chief of staff, said the military preferred Rajoelina.

Nigeria's Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe's earlier warning that any attempt to oust Ravalomanana could be seen as threat to African security did not influence the decision of the soldiers.

The African Union (AU) and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) have condemned Rajoelina's attempt to seize power.

"We don't think anybody has the right to unseat an elected government by force," Botswanan Foreign Minister Phando Skelemani told the BBC, speaking on behalf of SADC.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed grave concern at the unrest in Madagascar, appealing to all parties to ensure a "smooth transition".

The crisis on the Indian Ocean island has left 100 people dead since January.

Madagascar is in the Indian Ocean about 400 km (250 miles) off the coast of Mozambique. It is slightly larger than France. The population is 20 million and the capital is Antananarivo.

The Madagascans are a mix of Polynesians, Asians, Africans and Arabs. There are some tribal differences between the inhabitants of the coast and those found in the highlands surrounding the capital, but they are less pronounced than elsewhere in the continent

The victorious opposition leader Rajoelina, 34, is the sacked mayor of the capital, Antananarivo. He is regarded by some as a maverick and is nicknamed TGV, after the French high speed train, for his rapid-fire personality.

He contested municipal elections in 2007 as an independent, running against Ravalomanana's party. As mayor, he became one of the most ardent critics of the government, labelling it a dictatorship, but was fired on February 3.

Rajoelina was incensed at the closure of his private TV station last December. The authorities took Viva off the air after the station broadcast an interview with former President Ratsiraka.

Rajoelina accused the government of snuffing out the right to free speech.

Ravalomanana, 59, is a self-made dairy tycoon who before becoming president was elected mayor of the capital Antanan-arivo, the post now held by his opponent.

Ravalomanana a former disc jockey, took up office at the presidential residence in central Antananarivo yesterday before emerging triumphantly to parade among thousands of supporters.

He has announced there will be a new constitution and elections within 24 months. The current constitution sets a minimum age of 40 for presidential candidates. Rajoelina is 34.

Earlier, a number of government ministers quit, as power ebbed away from the president.

The mood on the streets was one of relief following fears of a bloody last stand if Ravalomanana had continued to cling to power.

On Monday, Rajoelina, who has declared himself president, rejected Ravalomanana's offer of a referendum to solve the crisis and called for his arrest. Later that day, troops stormed the presidential residence in the centre of the capital and also seized the central bank.