In an unusual move, the president of the west

African state of Sao Tome and Principe has

boycotted his own run-off election, handing

victory to his rival.

Manuel Pinto da Costa withdrew from Sunday's

poll, alleging fraud in the first round held on 17

July.

His rival Evaristo Carvalho, a former prime

minister, is now certain to win the race.

He had won the first round with 49.8% of the vote

while Mr Pinto da Costa had taken 24.8%.

Ahead of Sunday's run-off, he had called on his

supporters not to vote, and later reports said

many of them had stayed away.

Mr Pinto da Costa ruled Sao Tome with an iron

fist for the first 15 years after independence from

Portugal in 1975.

He lost the presidency after introducing reforms

in 1990, including multi-party democracy, but in

2011, he was re-elected to office.

Sao Tome and Principe, a former Portuguese

colony, consists of two islands of volcanic origin

and a number of smaller islets lying off the

western coast of Africa.

source : BBC