Ex-president Henri Konan Bédié was placed third with 27%.

The results given so far suggest none of the three big candidates would likely clinch the 51% required for an outright win, which will call for a runoff between the top two finishers on Nov. 28 according to the electoral calendar.

The CEI has till end of Wednesday to announce the complete results, although diplomatic sources in Abidjan (economic capital) say it would be difficult to meet the deadline because of the meticulous process of compiling and verification of the results which are trickling down from some 22,000 voting centres since Sunday night.

Call for calm

Ivory Coast Prime Minister Soro Guillaume, a former rebel chief, entreated the entire Ivorian population on TV to remain calm and go about their regular daily activities while the election results are being released gradually by the CEI.

Several religious leaders including Catholic priests and Imams reiterated the call for peace and acceptance of the poll’s verdict by the principal candidates and their supporters.

A televised message put together by Ivorian top footballers including Chelsea’s Didier Drogba, Manchester City’s Touré Yaya, was broadcast incessantly all Tuesday, calling for unity and love among Ivorians irrespective of their ethnic groups and political parties.

Arrest and release of a colonel

Local newspapers on Tuesday morning published the arrest of a former Ivorian colonel, Gaoudi Oulata, who is a regional campaign director for the republican party of ADO. He was accused of possessing heavy weapons at his home of Duékoué (south west of Abidjan). But his party RDR, at a press conference denied the charges saying it was a set by the president’s camp to arouse tension and confusion.

The chief of army staff Gen. Philippe Mangou spoke on TV early Tuesday evening to quell rumours of a military coup and arbitrary arrests of opposition party members that were spreading across Abidjan and the hinterland. He said nothing was in preparation and nobody was under arrest.

Oulata was released on Tuesday night according security sources.

By Wednesday morning, most of the hitherto deserted streets in Abidjan and political capital Yamoussoukro were lively with stores opened and taxis working. But tension is still high ahead of the final results later in the day.