Mauritania ex-leader among eight to file candidacy for president

Eight men have submitted their candidacies for Mauritania's June 29 presidential election, including incumbent Mohamed Ould Ghazouani and his jailed predecessor Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who was previously ruled out of the race, according to an AFP count.
   Prospective contenders had until midnight on Wednesday (0000 GMT Thursday)
to register their candidacies.
   Aziz led the pivotal country between north and sub-Saharan Africa between
2008 and 2019 and is currently in prison.
   On Tuesday, the former leader's spokesman said he was out of the running
because he lacked the necessary sponsorships.
   But in a surprise move, Aziz headed to the Constitutional Council on the
night of the deadline under heavy escort to submit his paperwork, an AFP
journalist saw.