NEW DELHI: A month after the coup in Niger, the military has seized power in another African nation – Gabon in the central part of the continent.
On Wednesday morning, a group of senior military officers announced on national television that they have suspended all democratic institutions, minutes after results held over the weekend upheld the rule of incumbent president Ali Bongo for the third term.
Officers said the elections, which were disputed by opposition parties, lacked credibility, saying they have cancelled the election results and closed the country’s borders.
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The officers said they represented the collective security and defense forces of Gabon and claimed that the elections were not reflective of the will of the Gabonese people.
“In the name of the Gabonese people… we have decided to defend the peace by putting an end to the current regime,” stated the officers.
The Gabonese Election Centre had announced that President Ali Bongo Ondimba had secured 64.27 per cent of the vote, with his main challenger Albert Ondo Ossa receiving 30.77 per cent.
The elections were marred by delays and allegations of fraud. The opposition camp had already labeled the elections as a “fraud orchestrated by Ali Bongo and his supporters,” especially after the imposition of curfews and internet shutdowns during the election period.
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Gabon, a country with a history of political dominance by the Bongo family, witnessed heightened tensions during the elections as the opposition aimed for change and an end to the prolonged Bongo family rule.
Following the military’s announcement, reports of gunfire in the capital city, Libreville, emerged, indicating the uncertainty and turmoil that currently grip the nation.
There is no official communication from President Bongo’s office at the moment.
The coup comes around a month after military leaders nearly 2000km away in Niamey announced plans to take over power and suspend borders. In response, a group of France-backed African nations, the Economic Community of West African States, has announced a military intervention to restore democracy in Niger.