Soldiers appeared on Gabonese national television to say they have seized power in Gabon.
This comes shortly after the national election authority’s announcement on Wednesday that Gabon’s President Ali Bongo Ondimba had been re-elected for a third term.
Gabonese Election Centre (CGE), had declared Bongo winner of the election on Wednesday with 64.27% of the votes cast.
Michel Bonda, CGE head, said Bongo’s main challenger, Albert Ossa, had polled second with 30.77%.
Opposition had described the Saturday’s election as “fraudulent”.
The soldiers who introduced themselves as members of the Committee of Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI), also said that they were dissolving “all the institutions of the republic”.
They also announced closure of the country’s borders.
“We have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime,” one of the soldiers was quoted as saying on TV channel Gabon 24.
The soldier cited “irresponsible, unpredictable governance resulting in a continuing deterioration in social cohesion that risks leading the country into chaos”.
A night-time nationwide curfew had been imposed and internet was cut off after the poll.
In a statement, the military officers said the country is “on the road to happiness”, adding that Libreville will respect its commitments “to the national and international community”.
“We call for calm and serenity from the public, the communities of sister countries settled in Gabon, and the Gabonese diaspora,” an officer reading a statement on state TV said.
“We reaffirm our commitment to respecting Gabon’s commitments to the national and international community,” he added.
“People of Gabon, we are finally on the road to happiness.”
Bongo came to power in 2009 after the dearh of his father, Omar. His overthrow would end his family’s 53-year hold on power.
Bongo’s father El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba was Gabon’s president for nearly 42 years – from 1967 until his death in 2009.
Ifunanya Ikueze is an Engineer, Safety Professional, Writer, Investor, Entrepreneur and Educator.
