Togo’s gov’t and opposition sign truce after protests against presidential election results

Togo’s government and opposition sign truce

LOME, Togo — A security official says that Togo’s government and the opposition coalition have signed a temporary truce committing both sides to peace, law and order following opposition protests against presidential election results.

Col. Damehane Yark, spokesman for a special election commando unit, says representatives met late Friday. He says the opposition has also agreed to cancel a demonstration planned for Saturday.

Togo’s constitutional court declared victory for the son of the country’s former dictator and dismissed fraud complaints in the disputed election held earlier this month.

The constitutional court’s ruling gave Faure Gnassingbe a nearly 61 percent victory. Gnassingbe seized power in 2005 after the death of his father. The same family has ruled Togo for the past 43 years.