Veteran secular politician Beji Caid Essebsi declared victory in Tunisia’s presidential run-off vote yesterday.

However, official results were not due until today and incumbent president Moncef Marzouki refused to concede defeat.

But soon after the polls closed, Mr Essebsi, an 88-year-old former parliament speaker, announced that he had won by a clear margin and jubilant supporters took to the streets of the capital Tunis, chanting: “Beji is president.”

Victory for Mr Essebsi would enable him to consolidate power, with his new secular party Nidaa Tounes already controlling parliament after defeating the main Islamist party in October legislative elections.

“I dedicate my victory to the martyrs of Tunisia. I thank Mr Marzouki and now we should work together without excluding anyone,” Mr Essebsi told local television.

However Mr Marzouki rejected the victory claim and suggested that he would emerge the winner when official results were released later today.