Meanwhile the ballot count began yesterday and President Mubarak was reported heading for a landslide win. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said Egyptâs first contested presidential election silenced those who doubted its democratic intentions. âThe poll that took place in Egypt refutes the case made by those who claim Egypt is unstable and question its march toward the future,â he told reporters after meeting President Mubarak. Prince Saud handed Mubarak a letter from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.
Presidential candidate Ayman Nour, head of Al-Ghad (Tomorrow) party, announced that he would seek a re-run, claiming the election procedures were fraudulent, altogether undemocratic and lacking in transparency. In his official complaint to the Presidential Election Commission, he described the process as âunfortunately skewed, using illegitimate means in favor of the NDP candidate.â But a spokesman for the commission, whose decisions are final and immune from any court rulings, said it found all of Nourâs complaints baseless. âThe commission checked the request and ended up rejecting the request,â spokesman Osama Atawia told a news conference.