Gabon’s Coup Leader Wins Presidential Election
Gabon’s transitional president and former junta chief, Brice Oligui Nguema, has won the presidential election with 90.35 per cent of the vote, according to provisional results announced Sunday by the interior ministry.
Oligui seized power in August 2023, ending more than 50 years of Bongo family rule marred by allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
Following the military takeover, he pledged to restore democratic governance and has now been elected for a seven-year term.
Saturday’s election had a massive turnout, with a reported 70.4 per cent of Gabon’s 920,000 eligible voters casting their ballots across 3,037 polling stations, including 96 abroad.
In a notable shift from past elections, which were often marred by unrest, the streets of Libreville remained calm the next day.
“I hadn’t voted in a long time, but something felt different this time. I believe in change this time,” 58-year-old voter Olivina Migombe told AFP.
Despite his commanding presence throughout the campaign, Oliguii faced seven opponents, including Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze, the last prime minister under ousted President Ali Bongo.
However, his challengers remained largely out of the spotlight, and early state media reports had already shown Oligui dominating at several polling stations, with some even reporting 100 per cent support for him.
Oligui attempted to distance himself from his military background during the campaign, notably exchanging his general’s uniform for civilian attire to appeal to voters.
While supporters see him as a symbol of new leadership, critics argue he has yet to break from the corrupt legacy of the Bongo era, which he was once a part of.
Observers from international and independent media were allowed to film the vote count for the first time, and early reports from polling stations suggested the election process went smoothly without major incidents.
Gabon’s Coup Leader Wins Presidential Election is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
