After winning the election on Saturday, President Ali Bongo has been overthrown by the military in Gabon.
In an election that the opposition said was highly contested, Bongo, who took office after the passing of his father in 2009, was elected for a third term.
After Saturday’s presidential, parliamentary, and legislative elections, in which Bongo sought to maintain his family’s 56-year hold on power while the opposition pressed for change in the oil- and cocoa-rich but impoverished country, tensions were high amid worries of upheaval, according to Reuters.
Concerns regarding the integrity of the election were raised by the absence of foreign observers, the suspension of some foreign broadcasts, and the authorities’ decision to limit internet service and impose a nighttime curfew over the country following the vote.
According to the BBC, troops claimed to have appeared on Gabonese national television to announce their seizure of power and annulment of the election held on Saturday.
The change occurs as efforts are made to end the crisis in the Niger Republic caused by the ouster of President Mohamed Bazoum, who was duly elected.
The African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), both of which have denounced the coup in Niger, have not yet responded to the situation in Gabon as of the time of filing this report.
