Gabon’s leading opposition party, Alternance 2023, has demanded that General Brice Oligui Nguema relinquish power to civilians following their claimed victory in the recent election. The party expressed outrage over the military junta’s plan to swear in General Nguema and called for international intervention to uphold democratic order in the country.
Alexandra Pangha, spokesperson for Alternance 2023 leader Albert Ondo Ossa, conveyed their concerns to the BBC, stating, “We were happy that Ali Bongo was overthrown, but we hope that the international community will stand up in favor of the Republic and the democratic order in Gabon by asking the military to give back power to the civilians.”
The opposition party has called for a complete vote count from Tuesday’s election, insisting it would demonstrate Ondo Ossa’s victory. The official election results, as announced by Gabon’s election commission, reported Bongo’s re-election with 64% of the vote and Ondo Ossa securing nearly 31%. Notably, this counting occurred without independent observers amid an internet blackout.
Pangha expressed the opposition’s willingness to engage with the junta to discuss Gabon’s transition plan but mentioned they had not yet received an invitation.
While the military junta has not disclosed its transition plans, the African Union’s Peace and Security Council has demanded their non-interference in the political process and urged fair and transparent elections. The council warned of imposing sanctions on coup leaders if they fail to restore constitutional order.
France, Gabon’s former colonial ruler, along with other Western powers, has vehemently condemned the military takeover.
The coup occurred minutes after an announcement that Bongo had secured a third term in the election, ending his family’s six-decade-long grip on power. Bongo was elected in 2009, succeeding his late father, who ruled since 1967. Critics argue that the Bongo family did little to distribute Gabon’s oil and mining wealth among the population.
Prior to their detention, the Bongo family enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle, owning opulent properties and expensive assets abroad. This stark contrast with the living conditions of nearly one-third of Gabon’s 2.3 million people, who live in poverty, has raised further concerns about equitable distribution of the nation’s resources.
The military coup, the eighth in West and Central Africa in three years, sparked celebratory demonstrations in the capital, Libreville, while the opposition continues to assert its alleged victory in the election.
