KHARTOUM, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Sudan's National Elections Commission (NEC) Wednesday said the final results of the elections are expected to be announced early next week.

"What we can confirm is that all the results of the elections in 15 northern states will be announced on Thursday, and until early next week we may announce the final results," NEC member al- Hady Mohamed Ahmed told reporters here Wednesday.

However, he failed to give a specific date of the final results, saying the results of the presidential elections would be announced when results of all the polling stations across the country are submitted to the NEC.

He ruled out any problems facing the ballots counting process, saying that "there are no problems generally, but there are some difficulties in southern Sudan due to the rain which hinders movement on roads."

The NEC Wednesday announced partial results of the elections at the levels of state governors and national and state legislative bodies, which reflected a clear lead of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

The general elections in Sudan, which were held from April 11 to 15, were the first multy-party elections in the African country for 24 years.