By Emeka Amaefula
GABON COUP D’ETAT… WHY THE MILITARY STRUCK.
The ousted Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba’s family had been president of Gabon for 56- years while he came up to seek for a third term in office which he won amidst controversy.
The deposed president took office in 2009 after the death of his father President Omar Bongo who spent 41- years as President of Gabon.
In the early hours of Wednesday 30th of August,2023 a group of Military officers announced through the National television Gabon 24 that they have seized political power of Gabon.
They cancelled the results of the elections and closed all borders as one of the Army Officers was heard saying that “all the institutions of the Republic” has been dissolved. The address was read by one of the Army Colonels flanked by a group of elite Republic Guard, regular Soldiers and others.
The rancorous Presidential and National Assembly elections were announced with incumbent president Ali Bongo Ondimba securing 64.27 percent of the total Bites cast.
“Today, the country is going through a serious institutional, Political, Economic and Social crises” the Army Officer announcer on State owned Gabon 24 Television Channel.
“Did not meet the conditions for a transparent, credible and inclusive ballot so much hoped for by the people of Gabon.We have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime.
Committee For the Transition and Restoration of institutions. To this end,the general elections of 26 August 2023 and the truncated results are cancelled. All the institutions of the republic are dissolved: the government,the Senate , the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court until further notice.” he announced.
Based on the published Results before the Army Officers struck Ali Bongo Ondimba’s rival Professor Albert Ondo Ossa garnered only 30.7 percent of total votes cast. The opposition political parties especially Professor Albert Ondo Ossa claimed that he won the election while accusing the ousted president Ali Bongo Ondimba of fraud. Internet was shut down while curfew was declared in the poverty ridden Cocoa and Petroleum rich country.
—————–Emeka Amaefula———–+234(0)8111813069
