By Paul Simao
LUANDA (Reuters) - Angola's ruling MPLA is maintaining abig lead over the opposition in the country's parliamentaryelection, according to preliminary results released on Sunday.
The MPLA, which has ruled the former Portuguese colonysince independence in 1975, has taken almost 82 percent of thevote at the national level and is leading in 17 of 18provinces, Angola's electoral commission said.
The MPLA was also seen crushing the opposition at theprovincial level.
Voting began on Friday but was extended into Saturdaybecause of delays and confusion at polling stations in Luandaprovince, home to 21 percent of Angola's 8.3 million registeredvoters.
UNITA, the African nation's largest opposition party, hasvowed to challenge the legality of the poll in theConstitutional Court.
A disputed poll could shatter the fragile politicalstability that has existed since the end of a 27-year civil warin 2002.
UNITA and other opposition parties say the vote should beheld again.
The government has denied any electoral wrongdoing, whileadmitting that there had been administrative glitches in someareas, particularly around Luanda. MPLA spokesman Norberto dosSantos said UNITA's legal battle was without merit.
Officials have 15 days to announce the full results of anelection which has been keenly watched because of Angola'semergence as a major oil producer and the newest member ofOPEC.
The MPLA had been widely expected to win the election, butthe partial results suggested the party was within reach of thecoveted two-thirds majority that would allow it to makesweeping changes to the country's constitution.
(Reporting by Paul Simao)
