In a dramatic turn of events, what the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had been striving to prevent has unfolded. As the saying goes, “there’s fire on the mountain,” as senior Gabonese military officers took a bold step. Their actions followed closely on the heels of the state election body’s declaration that President Ali Bongo had secured a third term in office.
These military officers, appearing on national television through Gabon 24 in the early hours of Wednesday, announced their assumption of power. Representing all security and defense forces in Gabon, they declared the cancellation of the election results, closed borders, and dissolved state institutions indefinitely.
The television broadcast was accompanied by the unsettling sound of gunfire resonating in the capital city of Libreville, as reported by a correspondent from Reuters. Notably, no immediate response was issued from the government of the oil-rich OPEC member nation. The whereabouts of President Ali Bongo remained unknown after his appearance at the polls on Saturday.
“In the name of the Gabonese people … we have decided to defend the peace by putting an end to the current regime,” proclaimed the officers in their joint statement. While one officer read the statement, a group of approximately a dozen others stood in the background wearing military uniforms and berets.
Identifying themselves as members of “The Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions,” these servicemen declared the dissolution of vital state bodies. This included the government, the senate, the national assembly, the constitutional court, and the election body itself.
If successful, this coup attempt would mark the eighth such incident in West and Central Africa since 2020. The prevalence of coups in countries like Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Niger has posed a significant threat to democratic progress in the region.
Just last month, Niger experienced a military takeover, sending shockwaves across the Sahel region and involving global powers with vested interests.
The tension in Gabon had been mounting in the aftermath of the recent elections, where President Ali Bongo sought to extend his family’s long-standing rule amidst opposition calls for change. The election, which covered presidential, parliamentary, and legislative votes, raised concerns about transparency due to a lack of international observers, suspension of foreign broadcasts, and measures like internet blackout and a nationwide curfew.
Gabon had previously thwarted a military coup attempt in January 2019, restoring stability after brief turmoil.
The Gabonese Election Center had earlier announced President Ali Bongo’s victory with 64.27% of the votes, with his main challenger, Albert Ondo Ossa, coming in second place with 30.77%.
President Bongo, aged 64, who succeeded his father Omar as president in 2009, faced opposition from 18 rivals, six of whom rallied behind Ondo Ossa in a bid to narrow the competition.
The government defended the internet blackout and curfew as necessary to combat misinformation and ensure public safety. President Bongo’s contested win in the 2016 election had led to violent protests, resulting in the burning of the parliament building.
While President Bongo’s team rejected allegations of fraud, the opposition, including the Alternance 2023 alliance, cited irregularities. These claims, including issues with ballot deployment, remained unverified by independent sources like Reuters.
In a noteworthy absence, the European Union was not invited to oversee this election, and concerns were raised by media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) over internet restrictions and the suspension of French international news broadcasts.
The opposition had contested Bongo’s previous electoral victories, alleging fraud. He first assumed power in 2009 after his father’s passing and was re-elected in 2016.
As West Africa grapples with the recent Niger coup, the emergence of another African nation in turmoil places ECOWAS in a challenging position. Observers worldwide await ECOWAS’s response as they navigate this complex situation. Stay tuned for updates on this unfolding coup.
