Brice Oligui Nguema Declared Winner of Gabon Presidential Election

Brice Oligui Nguema has won Gabon’s presidential election with nearly 80 percent of the vote. His closest rival received approximately 3 percent, while six candidates received less than 1 percent. Nguema’s win comes after he led a coup that ended a longstanding dynastic rule in the country.

Brice Oligui Nguema, the current military leader of Gabon, has reportedly won the presidential election following provisional results. The results, announced on Sunday, indicate that Nguema, who led a military coup in 2023, obtained nearly 80 percent of the votes cast in the election.

As of now, about 90.35 percent of the ballots have been counted. Nguema’s closest competitor, Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze, received approximately 3 percent, while six other candidates showed minimal support, each securing less than 1 percent of the total vote, according to the Interior Ministry.

Nguema played a crucial role in terminating 55 years of the Bongo family’s rule in Gabon, which was characterized by authoritarian governance under former president Ali Bongo. Given the context of the recent coup, Nguema’s victory was widely anticipated. While Bilie-By-Nze expressed concerns over potential issues during the vote-counting process, Nguema emphasized the transparency of the electoral proceedings.

Recognizing Brice Oligui Nguema’s decisive victory in the Gabonese presidential election, it is evident that public sentiment favors change following years of authoritarian rule. With nearly 80 percent of the vote, his leadership is anticipated amidst the recent historical shift in government. The electoral process, while met with concerns from rivals, was declared transparent, marking a pivotal moment in Gabon’s political landscape.

Original Source: www.aljazeera.com