Gabonese Constitutional Court Confirms Oligui Nguema’s Election Victory

Gabon’s constitutional court certified Gen. Oligui Nguema’s presidential victory, securing 94.85% of votes. This marks the first election since a 2023 military coup. Local observers deemed the elections satisfactory despite discrepancies in turnout figures. Nguema aims to strengthen his power as he prepares for a May 3 inauguration.

The Gabonese constitutional court has confirmed the election victory of Gen. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, who claims the presidency following a coup earlier this year. The official results, disclosed on Friday, reveal that Nguema secured 58,074 votes, translating to an overwhelming 94.85% of the total. This figure marks a notable increase of approximately 5% from the preliminary counts provided by the Ministry of the Interior the day after the election held on April 12.

In the presidential race, Nguema triumphed over seven contenders, with Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze, the former Prime Minister, coming in second with a mere 3% of the vote. The remaining candidates failed to reach even the 1% mark. Bilie-By-Nze has since alleged to The Associated Press that Nguema exploited state resources to enhance his chances, a claim that the current government disputes.

Observations from local entities noted that the elections were conducted satisfactorily in almost all polling locations that were monitored. The court reported a voter turnout of 70.11% from about 920,000 registered voters, including more than 28,000 who were abroad, and the election occurred across over 3,000 polling stations.

Interestingly, earlier provisional results cited by the Interior Ministry indicated a substantially higher turnout of 87.21%. This election marks Gabon’s first since the military coup in 2023, which ended over five decades of political reign by the same dynasty. As such, it was viewed as pivotal for the 2.3 million Gabonese, a third of whom live in poverty, even amidst the nation’s considerable oil wealth.

Oligui Nguema, previously head of the Republican Guard, seized control from President Ali Bongo Ondimba nearly two years ago, and he now aims to solidify his power with a lengthy seven-year term. His inauguration is scheduled for May 3.

The confirmation of Gen. Oligui Nguema’s victory in Gabon’s presidential election highlights the transition of power following a military coup and raises questions about the legitimacy of the electoral process. The significant support he received, against the backdrop of allegations of campaign misconduct, frames a complex future for Gabon’s political landscape as citizens hope for change amid ongoing poverty. With an inauguration approaching, the nation’s next chapter will unfold.

Original Source: www.newsday.com