Trump to Biden: Don’t wrongfully claim victory

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned former Vice President Joe Biden not to “wrongfully claim” victory as counting of votes in Tuesday’s election continues.

“Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President. I could make that claim also.

“Legal proceedings are just now beginning!,” Trump said in a tweet on Friday evening.

The president said he had “such a big lead in all of these states late into election night, only to see the leads miraculously disappear as the days went by”.

Biden has overtaken the president in the swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania where Trump was initially ahead.

“Perhaps these leads will return as our legal proceedings move forward!” he added.

As of the time of filling this report, Biden was ahead with 264 electoral college votes against Trump’s 214, according to the Associated Press tally.

Vote counting was still ongoing in five battleground states as of 8.30 p.m. (2.30 a.m. Nigerian time).

For Biden and Democrats, victory is not a matter of if but when, with the former vice president saying on Thursday he had no doubt he would be the next president.

Trump’s campaign organisation dismissed the projection, saying it was based on results in four states where the president was still in the race.

Matt Morgan, counsel to the campaign, said Biden’s “false projection” as the winner was based on results in four states where the president is still in the race.

“Georgia is headed for a recount, where we are confident we will find ballots improperly harvested, and where President Trump will ultimately prevail,” Morgan said.