**The directors of Togo’s 35 voting districts have been asked to bring all the ballot papers cast in Thursday’s election to the capital, Lome.**The head of Togo’s election commission summoned the directors after European Union observers raised concerns about the fairness of the presidential vote.
They found a lack of transparency when results were sent to the national election commission electronically.
Both the sitting president and an opposition candidate claim victory.
Jean-Pierre Fabre of the Union of Forces for Change (UFC) is seeking to deny a second term in office to Faure Gnassingbe, whose family has ruled the small west African state for more than four decades.
Mr Fabre’s supporters feel they have been cheated of victory too many times in the past and should win this time, BBC West Africa correspondent Caspar Leighton says.
It is expected that provisional results will be released officially on Saturday.
‘Technical failure’
The opposition said they would not accept results sent by VSAT, a satellite transmission system.
While EU observers endorsed VSAT because it was believed to be tamper-proof, the system’s machines malfunctioned and suspicions were raised of interference.
“Given the context in Togo, it’s hard not to give a political reading to this technical failure,” said Jean-Claude Codjo, one of the election commissioners appointed by the opposition.
Mr Gnassingbe was installed in power by the military upon the death of his father Eyadema early in 2005 after 38 years in power.
After widespread international condemnation, the son stood down and called elections which he won two months later. The opposition said the vote had been rigged.
On Friday, Mr Fabre told reporters that, on the basis of preliminary results, he believed he had won a “comfortable lead”, giving himself “an average of between 75 and 80% of votes”.
But the head of the ruling party, the Rally of the Togolese People (RTP), said the claim was based on “fantasy results”. Solitoki Esso suggested the opposition was seeking to foster “a spirit of violence”.
Togo’s government website republicoftogo.com reported on Friday that, on the basis of 61% of votes counted, Mr Gnassingbe had obtained 64% to 31% for Mr Fabre.