The leader of Gabon’s military coup has promised to restore democracy in the country but has not provided a specific timetable for new elections.
Gen Brice Oligui Nguema, as reported by the BBC, has assured that the nation’s state institutions will become more democratic, emphasizing that their suspension is only temporary.
However, Gabon’s opposition coalition remains skeptical, asserting that the military shows no intention of transferring power back to a civilian government.
The former president, Ali Bongo, has been placed under house arrest following the coup.
Army officers announced on state TV early Wednesday that they had taken control, ending the 55-year rule of the Bongo family in the central African state.
They also invalidated the results of the recent presidential election, which declared Mr. Bongo as the winner but faced allegations of fraud from the opposition.
In a televised address on Friday, Gen Nguema expressed the military’s intent to act swiftly while avoiding the repetition of past electoral mistakes.
He emphasized that hastiness should not result in hastily organized elections that perpetuate the same issues.
Gabon’s opposition group, Alternance 2023, which claims to be the rightful winner of the recent election, called upon the international community to support a return to civilian rule.
They expressed skepticism about Gen Nguema’s plan to be sworn in as a transitional president on Monday, considering it “absurd.”
This coup in Gabon marks the eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020, following similar events in Niger, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Chad.
The international community, including the UN, the African Union, and France, which has historical ties to the Bongo family as its former colonial power, has condemned the coup.
Mr. Bongo, who had been in power since 2009, made a video appearance from his home, urging his “friends all over the world” to support him.
Nevertheless, his removal has been met with celebration by many in Gabon who have grown discontented with his and his family’s regime. Crowds in the capital, Libreville, and other areas were seen celebrating the army’s declaration earlier this week.
