Gabon Constitutional Court Confirms Oligui Nguema’s Presidential Election Victory
Gabon’s constitutional court confirmed Gen. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema’s victory in the April 12 presidential election, where he secured 94.85% of the votes. This marks a significant political shift in Gabon after the 2023 coup that ousted the previous administration. Despite local observers deeming the election satisfactory, allegations of campaign misconduct have surfaced.
DAKAR, Senegal — Gabon’s constitutional court officially announced on Friday that Gen. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema has won the presidential election held on April 12, following his military coup in 2023. According to the court’s results, Oligui Nguema received a staggering 58,074 votes, representing around 94.85% of the ballots cast.
This latest tally reflects an increase of nearly five percentage points from the preliminary results that were revealed shortly after the election by the Interior Ministry. He soundly defeated his closest rival, Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze, who served as Prime Minister before this election and managed to secure only about 3% of the vote. The remaining six candidates did not reach even 1% of the votes.
Bilie-By-Nze has alleged that Oligui Nguema improperly used state resources during his campaign, a claim the government has denied. Despite this controversy, local observers reported that the elections were conducted satisfactorily across nearly all monitored polling stations.
The Constitutional Court reported a voter turnout of 70.11% for the election. Approximately 920,000 individuals, including over 28,000 voters residing overseas, were registered to participate at more than 3,000 polling stations. For context, the Interior Ministry’s earlier figures indicated a much higher turnout of 87.21%.
This election was significant as it marked the first since the military coup that unseated President Ali Bongo Ondimba, ending a more than 50-year political dynasty. With Gabon having a population of 2.3 million, a large portion struggles with poverty despite the country’s abundant oil resources. Oligui Nguema, previously the head of Gabon’s Republican Guard, is expected to formally take office on May 3, aiming for a seven-year term to solidify his authority.
In summary, the Gabonese constitutional court has confirmed Oligui Nguema’s election victory amidst allegations of wrongdoing in his campaign. With the final results showing a significant majority win, this election marks a pivotal moment for Gabon. As the nation looks forward to a new administration, the ramifications of Oligui Nguema’s leadership will be closely watched, particularly in light of the ongoing challenges faced by its population.
Original Source: www.newsday.com
