Ivorian president Gbagbo to be sworn for new term
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The incumbent president of Cote d'Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo, will be inaugurated for a new term at 1200 GMT on Saturday, state television said.
The announcement came after the Constitutional Council Friday declared Gbagbo the winner of last Sunday's presidential run-off.
The council, the country's top legal body, invalidated the election result announced earlier by the Independent Electoral Commission which showed former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara the winner.
General Philippe Mangou, the head of Cote d'Ivoire's government armed forces, has promised his backing for Gbagbo. He told state television that the military is on standby to carry out the president's orders.
Nevertheless, Quattara has gained the backing of the international community and the rebel group New Forces who still control much of the country's north.
U.S. President Barack Obama, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and French President Nicolas Sarkozy have all recognized Quattara's victory and urged Gbagbo to concede defeat.
According to President of the Constitutional Council Paul Yao N'Dre, Gbagbo won the presidential run-off by garnering 51.45 percent of the vote against the 48.55 percent by Ouattara.
N'Dre said Gbagbo was named as the winner after the council annulled the results in seven regions of the country.
He also said the provisional results announced by the election commission on Thursday was invalid.
Youssouf Bakayoko, the president of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), declared Thursday Ouattara won the election with 54.1 percent of the tally, against the 45.9 percent for Gbagbo.
Cote d'Ivoire's presidential elections have been delayed since 2005 due to tension between the rebel-held north of the country and the south, which engaged in a civil war beginning in 2002.
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