Angola's ruling party claims victory

Angola's ruling party said, it won a majority in the country's election with five million votes counted so far, opening the way for the defence minister to succeed President Jose Eduardo dos Santos after his 38-year rule, the Portuguese news agency Lusa reported.

The MPLA party concluded it had won Wednesday's election after reviewing data relayed by its delegates from polling stations nationwide, said Joao Martins, a senior official at the party's headquarters in Luanda, the capital.

Martins said Defense Minister Joao Lourenco would, therefore, succeed dos Santos, who took power in 1979, according to Lusa.

The report came as the main opposition UNITA party alleged that police fired shots and made arrests near some polling stations as people voted in Huambo city. Election officials, however, said the vote went smoothly despite minor problems and delays.

Raul Danda, vice president of the UNITA party, said results from its own count "completely contradict" the ruling party's assertion of victory, Lusa reported.

Angola's election commission has not released any results of the vote. About 9.3 million Angolans were registered to vote for the 220-member National Assembly; the winning party then selects the president.

UCJ, UNILORIN.