Yemeni electoral officials praised the turnout of Tuesday’s poll as high.

VP Hadi (archives)

Yemeni electoral officials praised the turnout of Tuesday’s poll as high despite boycott calls in the south where violence marred polling.

Meanwhile, the outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh will return to the country to attend the inauguration of his Deputy who went on the poll as the only candidate.

Electoral officials said on Wednesday the turnout reached 60 percent in the poll that saw Vice President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi as the only candidate.

But in the south, where 10 people were killed in clashes between separatist militants and police, turnout was far lower.

In the main southern city of Aden, 50 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots, while in other southern provinces, turnout was less than 40 percent, said the official, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity.

Also on Wednesday, deputy information minister, Abdo Janadi, said: “President Saleh is on his way back but I cannot give an exact date for his arrival in Sanaa” from the US.

"There will be a grand celebration to inaugurate Hadi and he will be handed over the presidential palace”, said Janadi, who is also spokesman of Saleh's General People's Congress (GPC) party.

Political sources in Sanaa said the inauguration would take place on February 27 or 28.

 Saleh, who gave up power in return for immunity from prosecution based on the deal, has been in the United States since January 29 for treatment of burn wounds he suffered when his presidential palace was attacked in June.