An election was held on 9 April 2012 for the governorship and deputy-governorship of

Aceh Aceh ( , ; , Jawi script, Jawoë: ; Van Ophuijsen Spelling System, Old Spelling: ''Atjeh'') is the westernmost Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia. It is located on the northern end of Sumatra island, with Banda Aceh being its capit ...

. Incumbent governor

Irwandi Yusuf Irwandi Yusuf (born 2 August 1960) is an Indonesian politician who was the governor of Aceh. He was re-elected Governor in early 2017 after serving an earlier term between 2006 and 2012. Irwandi first won a term as governor in the 2006 Aceh r ...

ran as an independent, while former exile and

Free Aceh Movement The Free Aceh Movement (, GAM; ) was a separatism, separatist group seeking independence for the Aceh region of Sumatra, Indonesia. GAM fought against Indonesian government forces in the Insurgency in Aceh, Aceh insurgency from 1976 to 2005. E ...

(GAM) activist

Zaini Abdullah Zaini Abdullah (born 24 April 1940) is an Indonesian politician and former separatist activist of the Free Aceh Movement (or GAM, ''Gerakan Aceh Merdeka'') in Indonesia who was elected as the governor of the province of Aceh in the 2012 electi ...

competed for the governorship on behalf of the

Aceh Party The Aceh Party (, , PA) is a regional political party in Indonesia. It contested the 2009 elections in the province of Aceh, and is the largest party in the Aceh provincial legislature. It currently controls the governorship. Aceh Party is led by ...

with Muzakir Manaf as running mate. The election was the second to take place in the devolved Aceh region since the post- earthquake/tsunami Helsinki agreement between the Indonesian government and the GAM. The previous gubernatorial election in Aceh had been held in December 2006. Zaini Abdullah was sworn into office as governor of Aceh for the five-year period 2012-2017 in an official ceremony in the provincial capital of Aceh,

Banda Aceh Banda Aceh (; , Jawi script, Jawi: ) is the capital and largest city in the province of Aceh, Indonesia. It is located on the island of Sumatra and has an elevation of 35 metres. The city covers an area of and had a population of 223,446 peopl ...

, on 25 June 2012. Arrangements for the ceremony were, however, marred by some violence when there was a personal assault on the former governor, Irwandi Yusuf, and a grenade attack earlier in the day at the house of a local GAM leader. Following investigation by police two men were arrested and sentenced to 12 and eight years imprisonment by judges at Central Jakarta District Court.

Candidates

* Tgk. H. Ahmad Tajuddin & Ir. H. Teuku Suriansyah * Drh.

& Dr. Ir. Muhyan Yunan * Prof. Dr. H. Darni M Daud & Dr. Tgk. Ahmad Fauzi * H. Muhammad Nazar & Ir. Nova Iriansyah * Dr. H.

& Muzakir Manaf

Result

Final results were released on 17 April 2012:

References

{{Reflist, colwidth=40em Elections in Aceh 2012 Indonesian gubernatorial elections April 2012 in Indonesia