NIAMEY, (Reuters) – West Africa’s regional bloc yesterday suspended Niger in protest against what it said were  flawed parliamentary elections being held there.  

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said  it would not recognise the result of the vote, which is expected  to allow President Mamadou Tandja to tighten his grip on power  and deepen the uranium-mining country’s constitutional crisis.  

“The holding of the elections is a clear move by the  authorities in Niger to further entrench the constitutional  illegality currently prevailing in the country,” said a  spokesman for Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua, who is ECOWAS  chairman. Turnout for the election was patchy after the opposition  called for a boycott of the poll.  

Tandja’s second term in office was due to expire this year  but he defied domestic and international pressure and extended  his mandate for a further three years and increased his  presidential powers at the expense of parliament’s.  

“I hope for my people’s sake that those elected will be true  patriots,” the retired army colonel, who says he must stay to  oversee lucrative infrastructure projects, said as he voted.