Morsy declares victory in Egypt's run-off, Shafiq objects.

[DJKeefy]

Morsy declares victory in Egypt's presidential run-off, Shafiq objects.

The Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsy has secured victory in the presidential run-offs, his campaign announced in the early hours of Monday, as vote counting wrapped up at most polling stations across Egypt.

In a press conference at his campaign's headquarter, Morsy's campaign said that their candidate has won 52.5 percent of the vote, while his contender, former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq garnered 47 percent. Counting has been completed at more than 97 percent of polling stations, according to the campaign.

Morsy arrived at the press conference to thank his followers for his victory and reassure skeptics.

"I thank God for this victory. It's a victory for all Egyptians," he said before a jubilant crowd. "We come with a message of peace, to everyone... to the revolution and the revolutionaries... to men and women, mothers, sisters, workers, students, to Egyptians outside and inside Egypt, to Egypt of the Muslims and Egypt of the Christians."

Morsy vowed not to "settle any account for now" and said that his program is more interested in building a "civil, democratic, modern and constitutional state."

After the announcement, a handful of Morsy supporters chanted, "The free revolutionaries will continue to victory!" and "Down with military rule!"

Some non-Islamists supported the Brotherhood's candidate in hopes that he will present a greater challenge to the military and entrenched state institutions. But many revolutionaries were quick to declare that this does not mean they will be Morsy's supporters for long. "I am not happy about Morsy's victory, although I voted for him. I will join the opposition starting now," Wael Ghonim, an early activist in the revolution, wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Shafiq's campaign announced on television that they reject the initial results. In a call to the CBC television channel, Mahmoud Baraka, Shafiq's campaign spokesman said that the FJP results are the opposite of the truth and an attempt to control the media. Baraka said that initial results show that 52.5 percent of the vote in fact went to Shafiq, while Morsy only got 47.5 percent. Baraka reminded that 13 percent of the polling stations are yet to announce their results.

According to the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party's count, 23,841,259 have cast votes, or over 45 percent of the 50 million eligible voters. That number, which is based on 97 percent of polling stations, is expected to rise. Early projections put Morsy ahead by a landslide, but that margin thinned as new numbers came in. Much of Morsy's support came from Upper Egypt, while Shafiq fared better in Cairo and the populous governorates of the Nile Delta.

Source: http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/mo ... iq-objects

[DJKeefy]

Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Morsi is on his way to Tahrir Square to deliver a "brief address".

Some of the satellite channels are reporting that Morsi's lead has narrowed significantly - to about 50.2 per cent - and there are reports that SCAF issued a statement criticising Morsi for his early victory speech.

Update: the latest from Morsi and Shafiq headquarters (video)
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