<\/p>\n
Army officers have appeared on national television to say they have seized power in Gabon, after President Ali Bongo was re-elected to a third term in office in the Central African nation.<\/p>\n
According to the BBC, the officers said they were annulling the results of Saturday\u2019s election which the opposition had denounced as \u201cfraudulent\u201d.<\/p>\n
Twelve soldiers reportedly appeared on television to announce that they were cancelling the results of the election and dissolving \u201call the institutions of the republic\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime,\u201d one of the soldiers was quoted as saying on TV channel Gabon 24.<\/p>\n
The soldier cited \u201cirresponsible, unpredictable governance resulting in a continuing deterioration in social cohesion that risks leading the country into chaos\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Gabonese Election Centre (CGE) had declared Bongo winner of the election on Wednesday with 64.27% of the votes cast.<\/p>\n
Michel Bonda, CGE head, said Bongo\u2019s main challenger, Albert Ossa, had polled second with 30.77%.<\/p>\n
Bongo\u2019s team have rejected Ossa\u2019s allegations of electoral fraud and irregularities.<\/p>\n
Tensions have been running high in Gabon with fears of unrest, following the presidential and parliamentary elections.<\/p>\n
Bongo\u2019s overthrow would end his family\u2019s 53-year hold on power. He became president when his father Omar died in 2009.<\/p>\n
Bongo suffered a stroke in 2018 which sidelined him for almost a year and led to calls for him to step aside.<\/p>\n
In 2019, there was a coup attempt on Bongo. Soldiers who led the failed putsch were sent to prison.<\/p>\n
The Cable<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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