LOME, March 8 (Xinhua) -- One of the seven candidates in Togo's presidential election has acknowledged the victory of incumbent Faure Gnassingbe after Thursday's vote.

Nicolas Lawson, the candidate for the Party of Renewal and Redemption (PRR), told a press conference here on Monday that he "is forced to acknowledge the victory" of outgoing President Faure Gnassingbe, who was re-elected with 60.94 percent of the votes cast.

"Our PRR party is forced to acknowledge this victory even if we have some misgivings," he declared, encouraging the president- elect "to transcend the rejoicing of his supporters and to tame the destabilizing opposition."

Lawson also called on Faure to "restore without any delay, the state authority and to return the country to order and discipline. "

He reiterated that the reports of this election were signed by presidents, vice-presidents and rapporteurs of the Local Independent Electoral Commissions (CELI) coming from the different groupings of the ruling Assembly of Togolese People (RPT), the Action Committee for Renewal (CAR) and the United Forces for Change (UFC).

To this effect, he recognized the victory of Faure "that was ratified and announced by the three cited parties."

Meanwhile, the PRR leader said he had observed that in Togo "nothing has changed and nothing is about to change."

On demonstrations to protest against the re-election of Faure, the PRR candidate warned that "it will be national suicide to continue finding excuses for discussions and making demands."

UFC candidate Jean-Pierre Fabre who got 33.94 percent of the votes, according to the provisional results, is contesting the 60. 92 percent attributed to Faure, vowing to form a parallel government very soon.

Six candidates including a woman were in the race against Faure who came to power in April 2005 and sought for his second term.