20120624
Press TV
The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood (MB)’s presidential candidate Mohammed Morsi has warned about the ruling junta’s plot to manipulate the “popular will” by delaying the announcement of the recent run-off presidential election’s much-awaited results, Press TV reports.


Addressing tens of thousands of protesters and supporters in Cairo’s iconic Tahrir Square on Friday, he called for the prompt release of the results.

“We are all in favor of announcing the results and we expect the higher election committee to announce those results as soon as possible and without delay,” Morsi said.

The results of the second round, which had been held on June 16-17, were originally set to be announced on June 21, but the ruling military postponed the announcement, prompting demonstrations, with angry protesters accusing the junta of manipulation and fraud.

“The expected results are known to all. We won't accept any manipulation,” Morsi said.

This is while, the military council has blamed the candidates, Morsi and Mubarak-era Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, for creating division and tension by, what it called, releasing early results. Both candidates have declared themselves the winner of the race.

The ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces on Friday threatened to use force against the demonstrators, who are holding a sit-in protest in Tahrir Square against, what they call, a power grab by the Army.

The delay in the announcement of the run-off’s results has raised widespread suspicions that the returns are being negotiated rather than counted.

Many fear that the procrastination is the Army’s tactic for declaring the former premier the winner.