President Deby: In power since 1990

Chad’s incumbent President Idriss Deby has won a fifth term in office in a lopsided first-round victory, the country’s elections commission announced on Thursday.

Deby, who argued during the campaign that only his government was capable of ensuring security amid a rising wave of extremist violence, took 61.56 percent of the vote in the April 10 poll, easily avoiding a second-round runoff.

Saleh Kebzabo finished a distant second with 12.80 percent of the vote followed by Laokein Kourayo Mbaiherem with 10.60 percent, according to the commission, which put turnout at 76.11 percent.

Chad has one of the most capable armies in the region and Deby has played a key role in efforts backed by the West to combat neighbouring Nigeria’s Islamic State-affiliated Boko Haram fighters as well as al Qaeda militants.

A former French colony, Chad also hosts the headquarters of Paris’ 3,000-troop strong regional anti-militant operation, known as Barkhane. It is also the headquarters of the multinational force fighting Boko Haram.