Jailed Niger opposition leader Hama Amadou, who is due to face off against President Mahamadou Issoufou in a March 20 election, was transferred to a hospital Friday, an opposition spokesman told AFP.
Amadou has eyes problems and "was evacuated to the Niamey hospital this morning for treatment," said Ousseini Salatou, spokesman for the opposition coalition known as COPA 2016 that backs Amadou for president against the incumbent head of state.
Amadou, a 66-year-old former premier and ex speaker of parliament, has been held in jail since November on shadowy baby-trafficking charges he says are politically motivated.
He nevertheless picked up nearly 18 percent of the vote in the first round of the presidential race on February 21, coming second to Issoufou who took 48 percent, failing to clinch an outright first-round majority victory.
The COPA 2016 coalition called for his release on March 2 to allow him to campaign fairly against Issoufou. His lawyers said the judicial authorities would hand down a ruling on the case Monday.
The opposition has accused the government of fraud in the first round, claiming "unfair treatment between the two candidates" and complaining that the Constitutional Court has yet to officially confirm the first-round results.
The government maintains the polls were "free and transparent" while the African Union, which sent observers, said it was generally satisfied with the organisation of the vote, despite logistical glitches and delays.
A total of 7.5 million people were eligible to vote in the country, which lies on the edge of the Sahara desert, where security is a growing concern after attacks by jihadists from neighbouring Nigeria, Mali and Libya.
