In Algeria, car horns, not television, announce president's re-election

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2004

ALGIERS, (AFP) — Not bothering to wait for official results in Algeria's presidential polls, delirious supporters of the incumbent Abdelaziz Bouteflika partied into the wee hours of the morning, claiming he had won re-election in a landslide.

Official results would be announced at 10:30 am (0930 GMT) Friday, the north African country's state news agency said at about 1:00 am, as state television broadcast live footage of the celebrations in central Algiers and the interior ministry said turnout was 59 percent.

"It's an overwhelming victory," said Bouteflika campaign official Aibi Mohamed Fawzi as flag-waving busloads and carloads of cheering supporters cruised the streets. "We're very happy."

Fawzi told AFP that the Bouteflika campaign's independent...