FREETOWN, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) N'Ali Koroma on Saturday announced partial presidential results based on 25 percent of the total votes counted after the March 7 general election.

Presidential candidate of the ruling All Peoples Congress is leading with 44.6 percent, followed by the presidential candidate of the main opposition, Sierra Leone People's Party with 42.0 percent. Presidential candidate of the National Grand Coalition is in the third position with 6.6 percent of votes counted.

According to the NEC chairperson, the 25 percent is a partial result and does not represent the complete result.

He said that they would also announce 50 percent of the total result before the day ends.

Over three million registered voters cast their ballots on March 7 to elect a new president, members of parliament and local councils.