Shortly following the announcement by the state electoral commission that President Ali Bongo had won a third term, a faction of high-ranking Gabonese military officers appeared on national television early Wednesday, declaring their assumption of power.
These officers, representing the country’s security and defense forces, made their statement on Gabon 24 network, asserting the dissolution of state institutions, the annulment of election results, and the indefinite closure of national borders.
The aftermath of their broadcast was marked by gunfire in the capital city, Libreville, as reported by a correspondent from Reuters.
At that point, there had been no immediate response from the OPEC member nation’s administration.
As the whereabouts of Bongo remained uncertain since his last public appearance casting his vote on Saturday, questions lingered.
The group of officers identified themselves as members of The Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions, and they stood united in declaring the government, senate, national assembly, constitutional court, and election body dissolved.
The move, if successful, would add to a series of coups in West and Central Africa since 2020, including those in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Niger, which have impeded recent democratic progress in the region.
With Gabon having just held presidential, parliamentary, and legislative elections, tensions ran high as Bongo sought to continue his family’s 56-year rule while the opposition pushed for change in the resource-rich yet impoverished nation.
Concerns about the elections’ credibility arose due to the absence of foreign observers, the suspension of certain foreign broadcasts, and the government’s imposition of an internet blackout and nighttime curfew following the vote.
It’s important to note that in January 2019, Gabon managed to thwart a military takeover attempt after a brief seizure of the state radio station, which had proclaimed Bongo unfit for office due to his prior stroke. The situation was resolved shortly after, with two coup plotters killed and others detained.
Albert Ondo Ossa, Bongo’s primary opponent, secured second place with 30.77% of the vote, according to the Gabonese Election Centre.
Bongo, aged 64, who succeeded his father as president in 2009, faced 18 rivals in the election, with six supporting Ondo Ossa to enhance competitiveness.
The administration justified the internet blackout and curfew as measures to prevent the spread of misinformation and ensure public safety.
A backdrop of violent protests marred Bongo’s contested victory in the 2016 election, resulting in the parliament building being set ablaze.
Ondo Ossa and his opposition coalition denied allegations of fraud despite disruptions during the election, and the Alternance 2023 alliance raised concerns about the distribution of its candidates’ ballots in various locations.
The European Union did not send observers for this election. In the past, EU observers questioned the legitimacy of Bongo’s narrow victory in the 2016 presidential race.
Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) expressed concern about the internet ban and the temporary suspension of RFI, France 24, and TV5 Monde broadcasts in Gabon on Monday.
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