The bulk of polls closed within the oil-rich Gabon on Saturday in a presidential election that the country’s navy rulers hoped would legitimize their grip on energy.
It’s the first election since a 2023 navy coup ended a political dynasty that lasted over 50 years. Analysts possess predicted an incredible victory for the period in-between president who led the coup. The polls were attributable to conclude at 6 p.m. native time, nevertheless there used to be no official affirmation from the authorities. Meantime results were anticipated overnight or on Sunday.
Some 920,000 voters, together with over 28,000 in one other country, were registered all the plan in which via extra than 3,000 polling stations. A 3rd of the country’s 2.3 million of us are living in poverty no matter its immense oil wealth.
The period in-between president, Gen. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, 50, the old head of the republican guard, toppled President Ali Bongo Ondimba nearly about two years ago. He hopes to consolidate his grip on energy for a seven-year duration of time in goal of job.
After casting his pollon Saturday within the capital, Libreville, Oligui Nguema acknowledged: “I in fact possess a sense of pride, I in fact possess a sense of joy. I spy so worthy enthusiasm from the Gabonese of us gathered right here and who want to turn the online page to be half of the unusual Republic.”
He called the election “transparent” and “peaceful.”
Bongo used to be positioned underneath apartment arrest after the coup, nevertheless then freed a week later attributable to successfully being concerns. His spouse and son were detained and charged with corruption and embezzlement of public funds. Bongo himself used to be now not charged.
Following the coup, Oligui Nguema promised to “return energy to civilians” via “credible elections.” But he proclaimed himself the period in-between president after which a presidential candidate, following the adoption by the parliament of a brand unusual contentious electoral code permitting navy personnel to speed.
He has touted himself as a frontrunner who wants to unify the Gabonese and give them hope, running his presidential advertising and marketing campaign underneath the slogan: “We Assemble Collectively.”
The country’s unusual structure, adopted in a referendum in November, has attach the presidential duration of time at seven years, renewable once, in goal of the limitless fiver-year duration of time. It moreover states family individuals can’t succeed a president and has abolished the goal of prime minister.
A challenger with an anti-colonial near
A total of eight candidates are running for president.
On the other hand, Oligui Nguema’s essential challenger is Bongo’s old Top Minister Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze, who, in a most modern interview with The Related Press, pledged “a wreck with the extinct system and a brand unusual independence. Political, diplomatic and economic independence.”
In a attach the attach France is shedding longstanding allies in plenty of its old colonies, Gabon stands out as one in all supreme just a few the attach that partnership has now not been threatened. It quiet has extra than 300 French troops most modern, one in all supreme two African international locations quiet cyber web hosting them.
Oligui Nguema has now not signaled an extinguish to the French navy presence, nevertheless Bilie-By-Nze has acknowledged “no field is off limits” in renegotiating the ties between the 2 international locations.
Bilie-By-Nze moreover acknowledged in some unspecified time in the future of the interview with AP that he didn’t place a query to the election to be stunning or transparent. “All the issues has been done to lock down the vote,” he acknowledged.
On the other hand, earlier this week, Laurence Ndong, spokeswoman for Oligui Nguema, denied the allegations, pronouncing: “For the first time, Gabon can possess a free and transparent election.”
Bilie-By-Nze voted on Saturday in his fatherland of Makokou within the north of the country. In a video message, he acknowledged he used to be enthusiastic that unused voting cards would be former for capability electoral fraud.
‘The navy has failed’
Voters lined up early Saturday within the capital, Libreville, because the election advanced peacefully.
Jonas Obiang told the AP while waiting to cast his pollin the working-class district of Damas that he would settle Bilie-By-Nze because of he considered the 2023 coup as a continuation of the malpractice.
“Neatly-liked Oligui Nguema led the country with the identical other folks that plundered the country, the old individuals of the Bongo regime. I will now not vote for him,” he acknowledged.
His views were echoed by Antoine Nkili, a 27-year-extinct unemployed man with a master’s level in legislation.
“The selection is deepest, nevertheless I’m telling you that for me, the navy has failed,” Nkili acknowledged. “They promised to reform the establishments, nevertheless they haven’t. As but every other, they’ve enriched themselves.”
Jean Bie, 57, who works within the improvement sector, acknowledged the navy rule has benefited the population.
“In 19 months, Neatly-liked Oligui Nguéma has carried out several projects anticipated of the old regime. I’m voting for him, hoping he’ll attain extra over the following seven years,” he acknowledged.
