Togo rivals agree to unity government

ABUJA - Togo's two main political rivals have greed to form a "government of national unity" in a bid to avert further violence after Sunday's presidential polls which sparked deadly street clashes in the West African nation.

"They agreed that whoever wins will forge ahead with a government of national unity which will make everybody have a stake in the government," Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo said after hosting talks between the two men in Abuja.

Obasanjo met Togo's ruling party candidate Faure Gnassingbe and Gilchrist Olympio, who was barred under Togo's constitution from standing in Sunday's election, but is still the most powerful opposition leader.

Obasanjo, who is head of the African Union, called the talks in the Nigerian capital after Sunday's polls in Togo ended in deadly clashes with at least three people killed and dozens injured in street battles.

All sides in the election, aimed at choosing the former French colony's first new leader in nearly four decades, alleged fraud and intimidation, and there were fears of more bloodshed when the results are announced later this week.

Sunday's vote set Gnassingbe, the son of former ruler Gnassingbe Eyadema, against a six-party opposition coalition.

The coalition named Emmanuel Akitani-Bob as its candidate but he was widely viewed as a stand-in for Olympio, who could not run under the terms of the constitution as he has been living in exile since 1992.

"I invited you Gilchrist and Faure before final results of election so that we can chart a way forward," Obasanjo said.

He said the rivals also agreed to examine the Togolese constitution in order to amend it to "satisfy fundamental human rights and a popular participation in politics."

Olympio said they wanted to see peace in Togo, where Eyadema ruled for 38 years before his death in February.

"We have agreed on all the points that the president has read to you. We want to see a period that respects the rights and dignity of every Togolese, including fundamental human rights," Olympio said.

"What I want is to work with everybody in good faith and we need to go away from a bitter opposition to a healthier opposition," Gnassingbe said.

African leaders want to avoid another conflict in a region already struggling to end intertwined wars in nearby countries.

Togo's capital Lome was tense on Monday as small groups of opposition supporters clashed with security forces who fired tear gas as they tried to dismantle barricades of burning tyres set up in opposition strongholds.

- REUTERS