Mauritania's incumbent President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani has won the country's presidential election with 56.12 percent of the vote in the first round, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) said Monday. 

Ghazouani's main rival, anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid had said Sunday that he would not recognize the results of CENI, accusing it of being manipulated by the government.

Abeid garnered 22.10 percent of the ballots in Saturday's election, according to results announced by CENI Chief Dah Ould Abdel Jelil.

(With input from AFP)