Burundi’s ruling party candidate Evariste Ndayishimiye was Monday declared the winner of the May 20 presidential race with 68 percent of the votes.

Agathon Rwasa, leader of the main opposition National Freedom Council (CNL), garnered 24 percent of the vote, the Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) said.

“We thank all the stakeholders for having complied with the electoral code and maintained peace and stability during the electoral period,” CENI chairman Pierre Claver Kazihise said.

Burundi’s first vice president and presidential candidate Gaston Sindimwo tweeted, “We take note of the results proclaimed by CENI and warmly congratulate the winner.”

However, the main opposition CNL questioned the credibility of the results in a Twitter post.

Seven candidates were competing in the race to replace President Pierre Nkurunziza of the ruling party National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD), who has ruled the country for 15 years.