Senegal's Macky Sall Heading For Presidential Win: Media Tally

Senegalese President Macky Sall was poised Tuesday to return to office with a first-round victory from elections last weekend, according to results reported from nearly 90 percent of the vote.

Sall, 56, has so far won 2.2 million of the votes cast Sunday, against 1.7 million votes spread between his four rivals, according to compilations of regional counts reported by local media.

His first-round tally stands at 57.26 percent of the vote according to results based on 87 percent of votes counted, news website e-media reported.

His nearest rival, former prime minister Idrissa Seck, has 21.63 percent, the website added.

Senegal has a population of 16 million of whom 6.7 million were registered to vote.

If no one wins more than 50 percent in the first round, a runoff will be held on March 24.

An interior ministry source told AFP that turnout for the election was 66.5 percent.

Already on Monday, Sall's camp was claiming victory in the election, from which some of his key rivals had been barred from running.

Senegal is often held up as a model of stability in Africa and has enjoyed strong growth.

The Muslim-majority country has largely escaped the jihadist attacks that destabilised neighbours such as Mali.

It has known two peaceful power transfers in 2000 and 2012 and has never experienced any coups.

But its election campaigns are typically marked by charges of corruption and disinformation and occasional violence.