Gabon: Military claims to have seized power after reelection of Ali Bongo | DW News

A group of high-ranking military officers in Gabon appeared on TV on Wednesday to announce the nullification of the country's recent election results, citing a lack of credibility. Gunfire rang out in the center of the capital, Libreville shortly after the central African country's election committee declared early Wednesday morning that 64-year-old President Ali Bongo had won the election with 64.27% of the vote.

All institutions dissolved

"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. The announcement on the Gabon 24 TV channel was made on behalf of a group calling itself the "Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions."

The group on TV included a dozen army colonels, members of the elite Republican Guard, regular soldiers and others. Claiming to represent all of Gabon's security and defense forces, the officers declared the dissolution of "all the institutions of the republic."

They cited "irresponsible, unpredictable governance" leading to a deteriorating social climate as the reason for their intervention, aiming to restore peace by ending the current regime. The group also announced that the "borders are closed until further notice."

Tensions high since election

Tensions have escalated following Saturday's election, where Bongo aimed to continue his family's 55-year rule amid opposition calls for change in the resource-rich but impoverished nation.

Concerns about the vote's transparency grew due to the absence of international observers, suspension of foreign broadcasts, and a nationwide internet blackout and curfew imposed by authorities.

There was no immediate comment from the government. The coup attempt occurred almost a month after mutinous troops in Niger overthrew the democratically elected government.

In 2019, soldiers had declared on the state radiothat they had "formed a national restoration council" to oust President Ali Bongo.

The coup attempt lasted less than a week after military forces stormed the station with eight plotters arrested and two killed. Meanwhile, the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the EU's defense ministers would discuss the situation in Gabon. A coup in Gabon would only cause more instability in the region, Borrell said.

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