The incumbent Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade have garnered more than half of the votes counted so far during the first round of the presidential elections, according to provisional results reported by local media on Wednesday.

According to the RFM, a private Senegalese radio station, based on 3.25 million votes counted so far, Wade is commanding an unassailable lead with 55.73 percent of the votes, while Seck comes in second with 14.94 percent followed by the Socialist Party candidate Ousmane Tanor Dieng who garners 13.43 percent.

It is reported that Wade, 80, has an absolute majority in 20 out of the 24 departments which have published their provisional results so far, notably Dakar, Saint-Louis (North) and Ziguinchor (South).

However, the president is weak in two departments which are strongholds of two former prime ministers Idrissa Seck and Moustapha Niasse who are now in the opposition camp.

The final results of these elections will be officially announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENA)overseeing the vote counting process by Friday.

(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2007)