President Ismael Omar Guelleh has been re-elected for a fifth term after winning more than 98 percent of the vote after Friday’s elections.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Saturday congratulated Guelleh on his re-election.
Results show his rival, businessman Zakaria Farah, took less than 5,000 votes.
Around 215,000 citizens were registered to vote in the ballot pitting Guelleh, 73, against a little-known businessman widely seen as posing a scant threat to the strongman, who has been in power since 1999.
“President Ismail Omar Guelleh obtained 167,535 votes, which is 98.58 percent,” Interior Minister Moumin Ahmed Cheick told public broadcaster RTD early Saturday.
He said the confirmed results would be released soon by the Constitutional Council in the East African country.
MG/as/APA