2012 Acehnese gubernatorial election explained

Election Name:2012 Acehnese gubernatorial election
Country:Indonesia
Flag Image:Flag of Aceh, Indonesia.svg
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2006 Acehnese gubernatorial election
Previous Year:2006
Next Election:2017 Acehnese gubernatorial election
Next Year:2017
Election Date:9 April 2012
Nominee1:Zaini Abdullah
Running Mate1:Muzakir Manaf
Party1:Aceh Party
Colour1:da2625
Popular Vote1:1,327,695
Percentage1:55.9%
Nominee2:Irwandi Yusuf
Running Mate2:Muhyan Yunan
Party2:Independent (politician)
Popular Vote2:694,515
Percentage2:29.2%
Governor
Before Election:Irwandi Yusuf
Before Party:Independent
After Election:Zaini Abdullah
After Party:Aceh Party

An election was held on 9 April 2012 for the governorship and deputy-governorship of Aceh. Incumbent governor Irwandi Yusuf ran as an independent, while former exile and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) activist Zaini Abdullah competed for the governorship on behalf of the Aceh Party with Muzakir Manaf as running mate.[1] The election was the second to take place in the devolved Aceh region since the post-earthquake/tsunami Helsinki agreement between the Indonesian government and the GAM. The previous gubernatorial election in Aceh had been held in December 2006.

Zaini Abdullah was sworn into office as governor of Aceh for the five-year period 2012-2017 in an official ceremony in the provincial capital of Aceh, Banda Aceh, on 25 June 2012. Arrangements for the ceremony were, however, marred by some violence when there was a personal assault on the former governor, Irwandi Yusuf, and a grenade attack earlier in the day at the house of a local GAM leader.[2] Following investigation by police two men were arrested and sentenced to 12 and eight years imprisonment by judges at Central Jakarta District Court.[3]

Candidates

Result

Final results were released on 17 April 2012:[5]

Notes and References

  1. Nani Afrida, 'Politics lead former GAM guerrillas to part ways', The Jakarta Post, 28 February 2012, and Nani Afrida, 'Friends, no more in election', The Jakarta Post, 28 February 2012.
  2. Hotli Simanjuntak, 'Aceh governor installation marred by attack', The Jakarta Post, 26 June 2012.
  3. News: Andhika. Bhakti . Justice served in Aceh's pre-election violence . 10 April 2013 . Khabar Southeast Asia . 10 April 2013.
  4. Web site: The Race for No.1 has begun: Candidates for Governor in Aceh Pledge for Peaceful Elections & ANFREL Observes in Aceh | Asian Network for Free Elections. 16 March 2012.
  5. Web site: IFES - UPDATED - Elections in Aceh: Another Step Forward . 2012-04-24 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121016170638/http://ifes.org/Content/Publications/Interviews/2012/UPDATED-Elections-in-Aceh-Another-Step-Forward.aspx . 16 October 2012 . dmy .