CONAKRY (Reuters) - Guinea's President Lansana Conte has died after an illness, Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare said Tuesday.
Conte, a chain-smoking and reclusive diabetic who was in his 70s, had ruled the world's number one bauxite exporter since 1984 when he seized power after the West African country's first president, Sekou Toure, died in a U.S. hospital.
"The government announces with deep sorrow the death of General Lansana Conte, president of the Republic," Souare said in an announcement on state television.
The government said Conte died after "a long illness" at 6 p.m. British time Monday in the capital Conakry.
Appearing with Souare on state television, National Assembly President Aboubacar Sompare asked the country's Supreme Court to name him president in line with the constitution.
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(Reporting by Saliou Samb; Writing by Pascal Fletcher)