NEBE says EPRDF can form government
Addis Ababa, August 9,2005 (WIC) – The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) announced today that the EPRDF can form a government as it has won majority seats in the House of Peoples Representatives.
In a press briefing he gave this afternoon, Board Chairman Kemal Bedri said out of 492 constituencies, EPRDF has won 296, while CUD and UEDF won109 and 52 respectively. The official results do not include those constituencies where re-run elections will be conducted and the outcomes of elections to be undertaken in the Somali State, he explained.
According to the Chairman, OFDM has secured 11 seats, while the Benishangul-Gumuz People Democratic Unity Front and the Afar National Democratic Party have won eight seats each. The Gambella Peoples Democratic Movement has won three seats. He said the Harari National League, the Somali People Democratic Party, the Argoba Nationality Democratic Organization, Sheko-Mezenger Peoples Democratic Unity Organization as well as a private candidate have won one seat each.
The Board has also announced official results of eight States’ councils and the Addis Ababa City Administration. Accordingly, the EPRDF has won sufficient seats to form regional governments in the Amhara, Oromia, Tigray and Southern Ethiopia Nations, Nationalities and Peoples States, CUD winning the majority seats to form the Addis Ababa City government.
The regional parties in Afar, Benishangul-Gumuz and Gambella have won the required seats to form their respective governments, while a coalition government by HNL and OPDO would be formed in Harari region as there is no one party that won a majority seat of the regional council, Kemal stated.
