Our Correspondent
Gabon military leader, Brice Oligui Nguema, has won the country’s presidential election.
Provisional results revealed his victory in the election meant to take the country back to democratic rule.
The Interior Ministry said on Sunday that Nguema, who led a 2023 military coup, had secured about 90 percent of the vote.
His main rival, Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze, had won only three percent of Saturday’s vote, according to the initial results.
Ahead of the vote, critics argued that the new constitution and electoral code were designed to give Oligui Nguema a comfortable pathway to the top job.
Some opposition heavyweights who could have posed a serious political challenge were excluded from the race.
His election victory consolidates his grip on power, nearly two years after he masterminded the demise of President Ali Bongo, whose family had ruled since 1967.
Oligui Nguema, 50, faced seven other candidates, including former Prime Minister Alain Claude Bilie-by-Nze, who served under the Bongo regime.
Two other stalwarts of the former ruling PDG party, Stéphane Germain Iloko and Alain Simplice Boungouères also contested.
“Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema is elected by absolute majority of votes cast, with 575,222 votes,” Interior Minister Hermann Immongault announced.
More than seven out of 10 registered voters took part in the poll, which the authorities and some observers hailed as signifying the election took place transparently and peacefully.
However, there were complaints of instances of irregularities in the process.
