The opposition parties in Togo have vowed to pursue all means possible to get incumbent Faure Gnassingbe out of office.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) announced last Tuesday that Mr. Gnassingbe had won the election with 58.75 percent, while his main opponent Jean Pierre Fabre polled 34.95 percent.

However, the opposition parties have rejected the results, insisting that the electoral commission rigged the election for Mr. Gnassingbe.

Leader of the opposition coalition, Kafui Adjamagbo Johnson, tells Joy News’ Francis Abban the opposition will declare its results today and get Mr Gnassingbe’s main contender Fabre sworn in as president.

“We won the election,” she said emphatically, adding that “when we publish the results, everybody would see that we are not telling lies.”

She has ruled out any possibility of referring to the EC for attention because the EC that “works totally for the ruling party” is “not independent” and has been helping the government to engage in what she said are “illegal” activities.

Kafui Adjamagbo who believes the governing party has the courts in its pocket, also forgoes any move to seek redress in courts.

“We will protest, we will never accept what has been announced, we have had the same family running the country for 50 years now, and it is enough; we can no more accept it. We will use all the means that we have.

“We will never go to court because we know that all the court members are people who are working for the ruling party.

“You will see what we will do. This must end and it will end.”

Meanwhile, ECOWAS Chairman, President John Mahama has urged the Togolese opposition to respect the country’s electoral commission and resolve the disputes through the courts.

He addressed journalists after meeting the presidential candidates and Togo’s EC in Lome.

“At this point it is the duty of the electoral commission to verify the votes and do the tally and then proclaim the results and hand over to the constitutional courts. Every country has its institutions and we must trust these institutions will do their work properly.”

John Mahama also underscored: “Of course we are not going to interfere in the process but we will keep an eye on what is happening because we all have an interest in ensuring that the Togolese people are able to freely express themselves.”

Listen to Johnson and Mahama