• Fernando Dias claims to have secured over 50% of the vote, avoiding a runoff.
• Incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embalo also declares victory.
• The election saw a turnout exceeding 65% with significant political tensions.
• Neither the electoral commission nor government has confirmed either claim.
• The exclusion of the main opposition party, PAIGC, adds to the election's contentious nature.

In Guinea-Bissau's presidential election, both leading candidates, Fernando Dias and incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, have claimed victory before the official results are released. Dias asserted that he received more than 50% of the vote, declaring that "we will not have a second round," indicating a desire for change among the electorate, while Embalo's camp also stated their candidate met the same threshold to avoid a runoff, according to Reuters, Africanews, and Al Jazeera.

The National Electoral Commission is expected to announce provisional results shortly, yet both camps are preparing for potential disputes. Dias has gained momentum with the support of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), despite that party being excluded from fielding a candidate for the first time, and has received backing from former Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira, whose presidential bid was rejected on technical grounds, according to Reuters, Africanews, and Al Jazeera.

This election is particularly significant as it represents one of the most contentious contests in Guinea-Bissau's recent history, marked by the potential for political instability. With a record turnout of over 65% and the presence of international observers, the legitimacy of the electoral process is under scrutiny, especially following the dissolution of parliament and the exclusion of key opposition parties, as reported by Reuters, Africanews, and Al Jazeera.