The coup plotters announced the closure of the country’s borders until further notice and the dissolution of state institutions.
Shortly before the military took power, the Central Electoral Commission announced that incumbent President Ali Bongo Ondimba had won the recent presidential elections.
And in the presidential, parliamentary and legislative elections on SaturdayBongo has tried to extend his family’s 56-year grip on power, while the opposition has called for changes in the oil- and cocoa-rich but impoverished country. The tension was high because of the fear of riots.
According to the election commission’s announcement on Wednesday, Ondimba won the presidential election with 64.2 percent of the vote. Next comes economics professor Albert Ondo Osa, who can get 30.7 percent of the vote. On the day of the vote, Ossa claimed that there had been irregularities during the election, but this was denied by Odimba’s campaign team.
After the polls closed, a curfew was imposed in the country, internet access was blocked, and the interior minister warned of “forces that want to undermine peace and stability”. International observers did not participate in the elections, and many foreign radio stations were suspended throughout the voting period.
The current term was the third term of Ali Bongo Ondimba, who came to power in 2009. Before him, his father, Omar Bongo, ruled Gabon for 41 years.
On behalf of the Gabonese people…we have decided to protect the peace by ending the current regime
The officers said, according to a Reuters report.
They affirmed that they respect Gabon’s obligations to the international community, and at the same time urged the population to remain calm.
According to press reports, gunfire could be heard during the announcement in the capital, Libreville.
As we have mentioned in many of our articles, on July 27, the military coup that took place in Niger, and in Africa as well, removed Nigerian President Mohamed Bazoum from power. The Nigerien coup was also announced on state television early in the morning.
Cover image source: Getty Images
