Muslim Brotherhood Claims Victory in Egyptian Presidential Elections
“The campaign of Dr Mohammed Mursi announced… his victory as president of the Arab Republic of Egypt according to the results reported by its representatives and counting records from all polling stations,” the organisation said in a statement, adding Mr Morsi had won 52 percent of the vote.
“It’s a moment that all the Egyptian people have waited for,” said Mr Morsi’s campaign head Ahmed Abdelati at an earlier press conference in which he confirmed the projected win.
But a Shafiq campaign official said their figures showed Shafiq, who served as prime minister to deposed dictator Hosni Mubarak, leading in the count.
“We reject it completely,” Mahmud Barakeh, said of the Brotherhood’s claim. “We are astonished by this bizarre behaviour which amounts to a hijacking of the election results.”
There were scenes of jubilation at Mr Morsi’s headquarters, where the candidate himself thanked Egyptians for their votes in brief remarks.
He pledged to work to “hand-in-hand with all Egyptians for a better future, freedom, democracy, development and peace.”
“We are not seeking vengeance or to settle accounts,” he said, adding that he would build a “modern, democratic state” for all Egypt’s citizens, Muslims and Christians.