Soldiers seize power in Gabon, say election result cancelled, ‘regime’ ended

Soldiers seize power in Gabon, say election result cancelled, ‘regime’ ended

A group of Gabonese military officers appeared on television Wednesday announcing they were “putting an end to the current regime” and cancelling an election that, according to official results, President Ali Bongo Ondimba won.

During the announcement, AFP journalists heard gunfire ring out in the Gabonese capital, Libreville.

While announcing the cancellation of the vote results one of the officers said “all the institutions of the republic” had been dissolved.

The address was read by an officer flanked by a group of a dozen army colonels, members of the elite Republican Guard, regular soldiers and others.

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It came moments after the national election authority said Bongo had won a third term in Saturday’s election with 64.27 per cent of the vote.

Bongo has been in power for 14 years in the oil-rich West African country.

“Today, the country is going through a serious institutional, political, economic and social crisis,” the officer said on TV channel Gabon 24.

He said the recent election “did not meet the conditions for a transparent, credible and inclusive ballot so much hoped for by the people of Gabon.”

“We have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime,” the officer said, adding that he was speaking on behalf of the “Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions”.

The statement was also broadcast on Gabon 1 public television.

“To this end, the general elections of 26 August 2023 and the truncated results are cancelled,” he added.“

Soldiers seize power in Gabon, say election result cancelled, ‘regime’ ended