[3] In December 2013, the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa that began in Guinea spread to neighbouring Sierra Leone and Liberia, as well as with health workers and visitors who returned to their respective countries.

A total of eight candidates contested the elections;[6] including incumbent Condé, Diallo, who was named as the candidate of the UFDG on 25 July 2015,[8] Sidya Touré of the Union of Republican Forces, Papa Koly Kourouma of the Generations for Reconciliation, Union, and Prosperity party, Georges Gandhi Faraguet of the Guinean Union for Democracy and Development, Faya Millimouno of the Liberal Bloc, Marie Madeleine Dioubaté of the Guinea Ecologists Party and Lansana Kouyaté of the National Party for Hope and Development.

Diallo promised to give priority to youth employment, as well as "access to health care, decent housing, water, electricity, safety, and justice".

He cited his record on overhauling the army and judiciary, the completion of a hydroelectric dam and reforms in making the mineral-rich country's mining contracts more transparent.

"[4] Voting centres were open from 7:00 until 18:00, while national borders were closed for the day and traffic restricted to that of electoral observers, government officials and security forces, in accordance with a presidential decree.

Diallo said "I will invite the other candidates and all the citizens who are the real victims of this electoral hold-up to organise, conforming to the law, peaceful demonstrations to express our disapproval of this situation",[10] and that the demonstrations would occur "at the appropriate time... to express our indignation and protest against this serious denial of democracy",[14] while a spokesman for Condé criticised the notion of holding protests, saying that it "risks dragging the country into instability, chaos and violence".

[15] He urged supporters of Condé to "stay calm, avoid gloating and get ready to face the numerous challenges that await us".