Chadian opposition leader Succès Masra has filed a legal challenge to the results of the 6 May election in which officials declared he came in second, behind junta leader and interim President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno.

Masra announced Sunday that he had filed an appeal with Chad's constitutional council alleging electoral fraud in the poll in which the state-run national election management body on Thursday said 61.3 percent of voters cast ballots for Deby.

Masra, who had already claimed victory and warned that Deby's team would try to rig the result, was placed a distant second, with 18.53 percent of the vote.

He announced the filing of the appeal after dozens of activists from his party were arrested and accused of having forged documents to get illegal access to vote counts.

"With the help of our lawyers, we have today filed a request with the Constitutional Council to reveal the truth at the ballot boxes," said Masra in a Facebook post in which he urged supporters to remain calm.

Documented irregularities

Masra's Transformers Party documented many irregularities during the vote, party vice president Sitack Yombatina Béni told RFI, including a refusal of access to polling stations or vote counting, a lack of voting material or even ballot boxes taken away by soldiers.

The party has asked the election management body to provide detailed results results from each polling station.

Deby seized power in April 2021 when rebels killed his long-ruling father, Idriss Deby, and his fellow generals proclaimed him the country's transitional president.

Deby appointed Masra, a former fierce critic, as prime minister, four months before the election, in leading figures of the opposition had been barred from running.

Definitive election results are expected by 23 May at the latest.

(with newswires)