Thousands of Guineans on Wednesday cheered a young army captain chosen as de facto head of state by the military junta that took over the West African country in a coup after the death of President Lansana Conte, Reuters reported.
The installation of Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara as leader of the world's top bauxite exporter went ahead despite international condemnation and statements opposing the coup from civilian leaders and the top military commander.
The coup leaders, calling themselves the National Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD), appeared unopposed in their control of the Guinean capital Conakry two days after Conte's death from illness opened up a power vacuum.
The junta declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew.
Excited crowds mobbed a convoy of military vehicles, led by a tank, which carried Camara in triumph through the streets of downtown Conakry. Some hailed him with shouts of "Obama junior," referring to U.S.-president elect Barack Obama.
Camara, brandishing a Guinean national flag and surrounded by soldiers in a military vehicle, waved to the crowd.
Earlier, at a meeting in the country's biggest military base, he was chosen to head the 32-member military junta which on Tuesday announced the suspension of the constitution and the government in what proved to be a military takeover. It has promised to hold elections in two years time.
The appointment of Camara was made by drawing lots, the Guinean web site www.guineenews.org reported.
"In the first instance, we're going to choose a civilian prime minister, who will run the administration," a senior junta member, Lt.-Col. Mathurin Bangoura told Reuters. But he said decisions would be taken "in a collegial fashion."
Before his promotion to junta leader, Camara was little known and was reported to be serving in the army's Supply Corps as head of the fuel section.
Earlier, the West African state's top civilian leader, National Assembly President Aboubacar Sompare, who under the constitution should have taken over as interim head of state, appealed to the world to prevent the coup from succeeding.