Afghan challenger calls for election chief ouster before runoff

KABUL — President Hamid Karzai’s challenger is calling for the removal of Afghanistan’s top election official before the country’s Nov. 7 runoff.

Abdullah Abdullah says election commission chairman Azizullah Lodin has “no credibility” and should be replaced immediately.

Abdullah made the demand in a news conference Monday during which he spelled out a list of what he said were “minimum conditions” for holding a fair second round of voting.

The Aug. 20 first round was marred by widespread fraud.