Gabon soldiers declare coup. Following the announcement by the state electoral commission that President Ali Bongo Ondimba had won a third term, a group of top Gabonese military soldiers appeared on national television early Wednesday and claimed to have taken over.
When they appeared on a Gabonese television network, the officers claimed to speak for all of the country’s security and military forces. They claimed that state institutions had been disbanded, election results had been annulled, and all borders had been permanently closed.
According to Reuters, after the television appearance, loud shooting could be heard in Libreville, the country’s capital.
However, there was no immediate response from the OPEC member country’s government.
“In the name of the Gabonese people … we have decided to defend the peace by putting an end to the current regime,” the officers said.
As Gabon soldiers declare coup, If successful, this would be the eighth coup in West and Central Africa since 2020. In recent years, coups in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Niger have hampered democratic progress.
The military seized power in Niger last month, sending shockwaves across the Sahel and drawing in global powers with strategic interests at stake.
Also read: ‘Coup attempt’ in Niger: Here’s what we know so far
Following the presidential, parliamentary, and legislative elections, tensions in Gabon skyrocketed as Bongo sought to extend his family’s power while the opposition sought change.
The lack of international observers, suspension of foreign broadcasts, and internet service cuts raised concerns about the electoral process’s transparency, prompting nationwide curfews and internet service cuts.
Bongo, 64, ran for president in 2009 against 18 other candidates, six of whom backed a joint nominee, Albert Ondo Ossa. His team dismissed fraud allegations.
In 2016, violent street protests resulted in the torching of the parliament building and the government shutting down internet access for several days.
