07 Aug 2009
The people of Niger have voted in favor of a constitutional reform giving President Mamadou Tandja unlimited chances at the country's leadership.

On Friday, the country's electoral commission said initial results from the related referendum had shown 92.5 percent popular approval of the reform, Reuters reported.

The 71-year-old president has ruled the country since 1999, winning the post twice through 'free and fair' elections. Tandja's second term ends on December 22.

The Tuesday event, though, witnessed military suppression of opposition protests aimed at preventing public access to the polling stations.

The opposition had urged a boycott on the plebiscite and said Tandja had pulled the same card as many aging African leaders, refusing to step down in his twilight days. They also said he stood to benefit from the recent exploration deals, which target Niger's oil and rich uranium resources.
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