CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) — Guinea’s junta leader submitted his bid Monday to be a candidate for the presidential election in December, contradicting his earlier promise not to run for the office after he led soldiers in sezing power four years ago.

Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya, in power as junta leader and interim president since a September 2021 coup, could remain the West African nation’s leader for another seven years if he wins the vote scheduled for Dec. 28.

The election will be held under a new constitution approved in a recent referendum, which allowed junta members to run for office, and extended the presidential mandate from 5 to 7 years.

Guinea is one of a growing number of African countries, including Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, where soldiers who staged coups have consolidated their

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