France, April 13 -- The electoral commission published the preliminary tally overnight Monday to Tuesday, though it has not yet issued final official results.

Sacca Lafia, head of the country's independent electoral commission (CENA), announced on national television that the result was based on more than 90 percent of votes counted, highlighting Wadagni's insurmountable lead.

Finance minister Romuald Wadagni, 49, seemed to have a clear lead from the start, even if the eight million-strong electorate showed scant enthusiasm for either candidate, notably in the West African nation's cities.

Wadagni has been praised for his ability to conjure economic growth even in the face of jihadist attacks, and widely tipped to win after being ...