Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni leads all candidates in the first round of the Somali Presidential elections with an unofficial tally of 65 votes.
Incumbent President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, widely expected to come out on top in the first round, was a close second with 61 votes. Former President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud came in third with 52 votes, and former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheyre received 48 votes. All four candidates will advance to the second round of voting.
Somalia’s 7th President, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, came up short with 39 votes.
The first round was marked by several spoilt ballots.
The majority of the 37 candidates did not receive a single vote.
