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Tag: Gabon

  • Gabon: Yet another sad day for democracy in Africa

    Gabon: Yet another sad day for democracy in Africa

    By Habib Aruna

    Even as the crisis in neighbouring Niger Republic remains intractable, with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), still hovering between the use of diplomacy and the military to settle the crisis, another major crisis reared its head in Central Africa, with the announcement yesterday this morning by the military that they have taken over the reign of government to restore ‘peace’. 

    The Gabonese people were actually looking forward to hearing the results of last weekend’s presidential elections, an election that was widely condemned by observers as neither credible nor transparent but which the incumbent president, Ali Bongo was expected to win by a ‘landslide’. This new development is a huge setback for French influence in Africa and for democracy, a system that has been at the receiving end of a people who are determined to end dictatorship and mis-governance foisted on them by selfish and greedy rulers. And with the reactions of the people so far on the streets across the country, it’s very clear that the coup has been widely accepted by the people no thanks to the unpopularity of the Bongo dynasty, a family that has ruled the oil rich country for more than five decades. 

    Read Also: Nigeria eyes regional hub with new ports’ modernisation

    The deposed president’s father, Omar came to power in 1967, with his son, Ali, succeeding him in 2009, after his father’s death. So, it’s easily discernible that the Gabonese people are tired of the Bongo’s family and their cronies holding on to power for so long. They were therefore ready for the change that the coup brought. Needless to add that the deposed president suffered stroke a few years back, a sickness that made him spend several months in a French hospital. Most people had expected him to resign and leave the stage for another person, but trust African rulers; that is far from their DNA. Bongo had since been recuperating and visibly struggling to perform the duty of the leader of a country that is poor because the country’s oil wealth has been mismanaged by the Bongo family.    

    So, even though military putsch should not be an option in the transfer of power, the inability of African rulers to follow the constitution they swore to protect and promote makes military intervention attractive. Once they get to power, elected presidents become tyrants and see their citizens as subjects; they no longer believe in the efficacy of constitutionalism and rule of law; they find it easy to circumvent due process that brought them in and want to change the rules of the game to prolong their stay in power. Of course, they find easy support from Britain and France, the so-called advanced democracies and colonial powers, who in most cases, looked the other way while democracy and rule of law are being desecrated in the continent.  

    Examples abound in Africa, from Senegal to Cote D’ivoire; from Guinea to Burkina Faso and from Central African Republic to Democratic Republic of Congo. These leaders, sorry, rulers trample on the rights of the people and would do anything to retain their hold on power. So, the only way a military coup would cease to be an option is for African leaders to allow the people to make their choice at the ballot box, in other words, there must be free, transparent and credible elections that reflect the wishes and aspirations of the people. Those in power should not circumvent the rules guiding democracy which is embedded in the constitution. Alhassan Quatarra in Cote d’ivoire succeeded, albeit wrongfully, in changing the constitution to enable him contest for a third term, when he had pledged to serve for only two terms.

    For sure, it would be difficult to keep people indoors or from the streets not to celebrate military takeover when they have been serially pauperized and decimated by the ousted regime. They would surely come out with a sigh of relief, jubilate and see the new rulers as saviour, who came to rescue them from the pangs of misrule and subjugation. The lesson therefore is for African rulers to follow the examples of the great Nelson Mandela; the leaders of Botswana; recent leaders of Tanzania who do not believe in ruling forever or dying in office.

    Hence, the antidote to stop the military boys from coming out of the barracks to the public space is good governance; knowing when to press the reset buttons to put a smile on the faces of your citizens and more importantly, making sure the constitution and rule of law are sacrosanct. I am not one of those who believe that democracy and its core values are antithetical to the nature and character of Nigerian or by extension, African politics. I have severally argued that with all its deficiencies, democracy remains the only veritable way of ensuring fair and credible representation of what the citizens want. There should however be room for a mixture of our peculiarities and culture when setting the rules, which will guide all the players in the democratic arena.

    Without a doubt, the development in Gabon has further weakened the influence of France in the continent. Yet to recover from the humiliation in Niger and the consistent bashing from the rulers in Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea, the French would have to find a way to stop the people from moving against them and their interests in their former colonies. Paris never saw it coming! It has for centuries subjugated these countries and made them to be subservient to the metropole-Paris- even after their so-called independence. The structures that were planted by the departing colonial power were to make these countries dependent on the French, politically, economically and militarily. This is why there are French military bases in most of these Francophone countries. 

    These military formations were to act as a buffer or to assist the various regimes they put in place in Africa, to wade off internal and external threats, for them to have easy access to the natural resources in these countries. Thus, they don’t care if the democracy that they so revered in their country (France) does not work in Africa, insofar as their interests are protected by the regime in power. Given the above context therefore, we are likely going to see more military takeovers in the continent if the rulers, most of whom, are ruling with impunity, do not quickly return to the table and negotiate power with the people and France will be the ultimate loser.                                 

    •Aruna, a journalist writes from Ikeja.

  • President Tinubu deeply concerned about Gabon coup – Ajuri Ngelale

    President Tinubu deeply concerned about Gabon coup – Ajuri Ngelale

    President Bola Tinubu has expressed concern about the Wednesday coup in the Republic of Gabon in the West Coast of Central Africa.

    Military officers in Gabon say they have taken power and put the president, Ali Bongo, under house arrest, as the country becomes the latest in Africa to suffer an attempted coup, only weeks after mutinous troops seized power in Niger.

    Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing State House Correspondent in Abuja.

    He said that Tinubu would consult with other Heads of State and Government in the African Union on the Gabon crisis with a view to determining the way forward for the natural resource-rich country.

    ‘’President Bola Tinubu is watching closely with deep concern for the country’s social political stability and at the seeming autocratic contention apparently spreading across different regions of our beloved continent.

    ‘’The president as a man who has made significant sacrifices in his life in the course of advancing and defending democracy is of the belief that power belongs in the hands of Africa’s great people and not in the barrel of a loaded gun,’’ he said.

    Gabon is rich in natural resources such as timber, manganese and oil and it’s the fifth largest oil producing nation in Africa, which has helped drive its strong growth.

    The country’s oil sector now accounts for 50 per cent of its GDP and 80 per cent of its exports.

    Ngelale said the president affirmed that the rule of law and recourse to the constitutional resolutions and instruments of electoral dispute needed to be used in the matters of democratic challenges.

    ‘’To this end, the lresident is working very closely and continues to communicate with other Heads of States in the African Union.

    ‘’This is towards a comprehensive consensus on the next steps forwards with respect to how the power in Gabon will play out and how the continent will respond to contagious autocracy spreading across the continent,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that military officers announced the takeover of democratically elected government of Bongo on Wednesday after a disputed Tuesday election.

    They also announced the cancellation of recent election results and the dissolution of “all the institutions of the republic”.

    Read Also: 23 things to know about ousted Gabon President Ali Bongo

    The army officers are said to be meeting later on Wednesday to decide who would lead the transition authority.

    The Commonwealth has also expressed fear about the military takeover in the country with Secretary-General Patricia Scotland saying the situation was “deeply concerning”.

    “The Commonwealth Charter is clear that member states must uphold the rule of law and the principles of democracy at all times,” Scotland said.

    Tinubu also spoke with the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Tradeus on the Gabon crisis, where the two leaders agreed on the need for the safeguarding of democratic institution in the continent.

    Tinubu also urged African in Diaspora to continue to engage with global communities to extend the support for the democracy in the continenet.(NAN)

  • Gabon’s President Bongo calls on public to protest against his arrest

    Gabon’s President Bongo calls on public to protest against his arrest

    Hours after military leaders seized power in Gabon, President Ali Bongo issued a plea to the public from where he is being held under house arrest.

    Bongo called on the people of Gabon to “make noise,” saying in a brief video he had been illegally detained at his residence.

    Bongo was accused of high treason, the group of high-ranking officers said.

    The group added that other government officials as well as Bongo’s son, Nouredine Bongo, had been arrested.

    Earlier, the military leaders in Gabon announced they seized power, days after the central African nation’s presidential election which confirmed President Ali Bongo Ondimba’s third term.

    The election results had been falsified, a group of officers said.

    Read Also: 23 things to know about ousted Gabon President Ali Bongo

    State institutions had been dissolved with immediate effect, the election results annulled and the country’s borders closed, said the group, which called itself the Committee for Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI).

    The CTRI had decided to “put an end to the current regime.”

    The announcement came a few hours after the electoral authority declared Bongo the winner of the election with 64.27 per cent of the vote.

    (dpa/NAN)

  • 23 things to know about ousted Gabon President Ali Bongo

    23 things to know about ousted Gabon President Ali Bongo

    The military on Wednesday ousted Ali Bongo Ondimba from the presidency following the results of the 2023 Gabonese general election.

    He has ruled Gabon for 14 years while his father Albert-Bernard Bongo ruled for 42-years.

    Here are things to know about ousted Gabon President Ali Bongo:

    1. Ali Bongo Ondimba was born Alain Bernard Bongo in Brazzaville on February 9, 1959.

    2. He is the son of Albert-Bernard Bongo (later Omar Bongo Ondimba) who was president of Gabon from 1967 until his death in 2009.

    3. His mum, Josephine Kama (later Patience Dabany) was 18 years old at the time of his birth.

    4. He was conceived 18 months before Albert-Bernard’s marriage and there have been rumours of him being Bongo’s adopted son, a claim that he dismisses.

    5. Bongo was educated at a private school in Neuilly, France, and then studied law at the Sorbonne.

    6. In 2018, he received an honorary doctorate of law degree from Wuhan University in China.

    7. In 1977, he released a funk album, A Brand New Man, produced by Charles Bobbit.

    8. After graduating from his law course, he entered politics, joining the Gabonese Democratic Party in 1981.

    Read Also: 20 things to know about Gabon’s military coup

    9. He was elected to the PDG Central Committee at the party’s Third Extraordinary Congress in March 1983.

    10. Subsequently, he was his father’s Personal Representative to the PDG and in that capacity he entered the PDG Political Bureau in 1984.

    11. He was then elected to the Political Bureau at an ordinary party congress in September 1986.

    12. He is the third president of Gabon from 2009 to 2023.

    13. Bongo is a member of the Gabonese Democratic Party.

    14. During his father’s presidency, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1989 to 1991, represented Bongoville as a Deputy in the National Assembly from 1991 to 1999, and was Minister of Defense from 1999 to 2009.

    15. After his father’s death, he won the 2009 Gabonese presidential election.

    16. He was reelected in 2016, in elections marred by numerous irregularities, arrests, human rights violations and post-election protests and violence.

    17. Bongo held the post of High Personal Representative of the President of the Republic from 1987 to 1989.

    18. The Gabonese Democratic Party, of which Bongo is a member, has ruled the country continuously since independence from France in 1960, including 41 years under Bongo’s father, Omar.

    19. Allegations of electoral fraud and irregularities immediately emerged from opposition parties and independent observers, casting a shadow of doubt over the legitimacy of the election results

    20. Bongo was declared the winner on 29 August.

    21. Albert Ondo Ossa, who came second in the elections, alleged electoral irregularities.

    22. He had already claimed victory and urged Bongo to facilitate a peaceful transfer of power based on his own purported vote count.

    23. The election result was annulled following the coup d’état.

  • 20 things to know about Gabon’s military coup

    20 things to know about Gabon’s military coup

    The military in the early hours of Wednesday announced the takeover of the government in Gabon.

    This is coming after the July 26 coup d’état in Niger Republic when the country’s presidential guard detained president Mohamed Bazoum and presidential guard commander general Abdourahamane Tchiani proclaimed himself the leader of a new military junta, shortly after confirming the coup a success.

    The Nation reports that a group of senior Gabonese soldiers on Wednesday appeared on national television and said they had taken power, minutes after the state election body announced President Ali Bongo had won a third term.

    The senior officers said they represented all security and defence forces in the Central African nation.

    Here are things to know about the Military coup in Gabon

    1. Gabon general election was held on August 26, 2023.

    2. Incumbent President Ali Bongo Ondimba ran for re-election.

    3. The Gabonese Democratic Party, of which Bongo is a member, has ruled the country continuously since independence from France in 1960, including 41 years under Bongo’s father, Omar.

    4. Allegations of electoral fraud and irregularities immediately emerged from opposition parties and independent observers, casting a shadow of doubt over the legitimacy of the election results

    5. Bongo was declared the winner on 29 August.

    6. Albert Ondo Ossa, who came second in the elections, alleged electoral irregularities.

    7. Ondo Ossa, just two hours before the polls closed,  denounced “fraud orchestrated by the Bongo camp.”

    8. He had already claimed victory and urged Bongo to facilitate a peaceful transfer of power based on his own purported vote count.

    Read Also: Niger coup leader rallies Burkina Faso, Mali against ECOWAS

    9. The election result was annulled following the coup d’état.

    10. The military-led coup ousted the re-elected president, Ali Bongo Ondimba.

    11. Following the announcement of the coup, celebrations broke out in the streets of Libreville.

    12. The coup occurred just minutes after Bongo’s re-election was declared at 3:30 AM WAT by the Gabonese electoral commission with 64.27% of the vote.

    13. There has been no comment from the government of Gabon, which is a member of the oil producer group OPEC.

    14. No reports on the whereabouts of Bongo, who was last seen in public casting his vote in the vote on Saturday.

    15. The coup is the eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020.

    16. The latest one, in Niger, was in July.

    17. Military officers have also seized power in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Chad.

    18. Bongo’s family has ruled the oil producing but poor nation for 56 years.

    19. His detractors say he has done little to channel its oil and other wealth towards the population of some 2.3 million people, a third of whom live in poverty.

    20. In a speech delivered on the country’s Independence Day on 17 August, Bongo, a close ally of France, insisted that he would not allow Gabon to be subjected to “destabilization”, referring to the other coups.

  • JUST IN: Soldiers take over power in Gabon, cancel presidential poll

    JUST IN: Soldiers take over power in Gabon, cancel presidential poll

    The military  in the early hours of Wednesday announced take over of government in Gabon. 

     A group of senior Gabonese soldiers appeared on national television and said they had taken power, minutes after the state election body announced President Ali Bongo had won a third term.

    Appearing on television channel Gabon 24 in the early hours on Wednesday, the officers said they represented all security and defence forces in the Central African nation. 

    They said the election results were cancelled with all borders closed until further notice and state institutions dissolved.

    According to Reuters, loud sounds of gunfire  was heard in the capital Libreville on Wednesday morning. 

    There was no immediate comment from the government of the OPEC-member nation.

    Read Also: Commonwealth admits Gabon, Togo as new members

     There were no immediate reports on the whereabouts of Bongo, who was last seen in public when he cast his vote in the election on Saturday.

    “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 in a statement.

    As one officer read the joint statement, about a dozen others stood silently behind him in military fatigues and berets.

    As in previous general elections in Gabon, there were serious concerns about the process in Saturday’s vote.

    Main opposition candidate Albert Ondo Ossa complained that many polling stations lacked ballot papers bearing his name while the coalition he represents said the names of some of those who had withdrawn from the presidential race were still on the ballot sheet.

    The development came after the military take- over in Niger with ECOWAS, international organisations and western powers calling for return to civilian rule. 

  • AFCON Qualifier: Panthers bank on red hot Aubameyang for miracle!

     

    Can Arsenal forward and Gabon international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang turn the table and hand the Panthers a ticket to the Nations cup in Egypt?

    That is perhaps the query on the lips of most Gabonese as the Panthers take on Swallows of Burundi in the last group match of the AFCON qualifiers.

    Burundi occupy the second position in Group C two points below group leaders Mali and two points above third placed Gabon with seven points.

    If the qualification were to end like this, Mali and Burundi will clinch the two tickets of the group, but judging from the overwhelming welcome handed Aubameyang by his countrymen and women on his arrival to the country, it is apparent that they believe it is not late to swap positions at the last minute.

    The 2015 African footballer of the year, who has 22 goals in 39 games for the Gunners this season, got a hero’s welcome as he touched down in the city of Libreville on Wednesday night.

    Hundreds of supporters turned up to greet Aubameyang with chants and cheers as his brother, Willy, captured the incredible reception on Instagram. He is back and in top shape for Saturday’s crucial battle against Burundi

    And Gabon’s fans made sure to give him all the motivation he needs to fire them to victory with the warmest of welcomes.

    Aubameyang’s brother followed the Gunners star as he struggled to move through the packed crowd, who were clearly delighted to see him back on home soil.

    Aubameyang was absent for Gabon’s last two games – a 1-0 win over South Sudan and a 1-0 defeat by Mali – despite having been named in both squads.

    No official reason was given for him missing the clash with South Sudan, although some reports suggested he was unhappy with the plane Gabon had chartered for the journey.

    Aubameyang then missed the match with Mali amid claims that he was set to retire from international duty at the age of 29.

    However, manager Daniel Cousin dismissed those fears last week, telling the Gabonese News Agency: ‘Pierre is indeed summoned.

    ‘I did not receive any document from his club signaling his refusal to take part in this match. He knows what I think and expect of him.’

    The pressure will be firmly on Aubameyang’s shoulders on Saturday with Gabon needing a win to progress to this year’s Africa Cup of Nations. Will the Panthers carry the day or will they be swallowed by the Swallows?

     

     

     

     

     

  • President seeks respect for democracy in Gabon after coup attempt

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has called for respect for democracy in the oil-rich Gabon, following reports of attempted military takeover.

    According to him, the era of coups in Africa is over.

    Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said: “The military officers in Gabon should understand that the era of military coups and governments in Africa and indeed worldwide is long gone.

    Read also: Gabon: Two suspects killed, Seven captured in failed coup attempt

    “Democracy is supreme and the constitutional stipulations on the peaceful change of administration must be respected.

    “That is the only way we can ensure peace and stability not only within the country, but also in the region,” he said.

    President Buhari, who is also the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Chairman, urged military officers with political ambitions to resign or face their constitutional role.

    He also enjoined the people of Gabon to remain on the side of peace, security, stability and democracy in their country.

  • Buhari seeks respect for democracy in Gabon

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday called for respect for democracy in the oil-rich west-central African nation of Gabon.

    He made the call following reports of attempted military takeover in the country.

    According to him, the era of coups in Africa is over.

    Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said “The military officers in Gabon should understand that the era of military coups and governments in Africa and indeed worldwide, is long gone.

    “Democracy is supreme and the constitutional stipulations on the peaceful change of administration must be respected.

    Read Also: Buhari: Tinubu’ll be fully in charge of my campaign

    “That is the only way we can ensure peace and stability not only within the country but also in the region.” he said

    President Buhari, who is also the ECOWAS Chairman, urged military officers with political ambitions to resign or face their constitutional role.

    He also enjoined the people of Gabon to remain on the side of peace, security, stability and democracy in their country.

  • Gabon: Two suspects killed, Seven captured in failed coup attempt

    Gabon security forces killed two suspects in a failed coup attempt in Gabon on Monday.

    Government security forces also captured seven others, government spokesman Guy-Bertrand Mapangou told reporters.

    The plotters seized control of the national radio station early on Monday morning.

    Read Also: Gabon: Government says ‘situation under control’

    They then broadcast a message saying that President Ali Bongo was no longer fit for office.

    After the coup announcement, over 300 people initially trooped to the streets to celebrate the coup, which was later crushed by government forces.