Jakarta, December 12:

Elections in Indonesia’s tsunami-devastated Aceh province have swept a former rebel leader to victory, unofficial results showed as officials totted up the ballots today.

The polls, consolidating a peace accord after nearly three decades of war, were hailed by UN chief Kofi Annan as “historic” and by the European Union.

Vote tallies so far showed Irwandi Yusuf, the former spokesman of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), and his running mate Muhammad Nazar likely to secure a landslide victory for governor and deputy. They won around 39 per cent of yesterday’s vote, leaving their nearest rivals trailing on 17 per cent.

Election observers Jurdil Aceh said the polls for provincial governor and deputy — previously directly appointed by central government — and district heads were peaceful and transparent, with turnout a high 85 per cent.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla said Yusuf’s likely victory held no fears. “ Yusuf is also a citizen of Indonesia, so there is no need to worry,” Kalla was quoted by Kompas cybermedia as saying in Yogyakarta.