In Gabon, military officers have made an appearance on national television to announce their assumption of control.
They declared the nullification of the outcomes from Saturday’s election, wherein President Ali Bongo had been announced as the victor.
The electoral commission reported that Mr. Bongo had secured just shy of two-thirds of the votes in a contest that the opposition claimed had been marked by deception.
If successful, this move would put an end to the 53-year dominance of power by the Bongo family in Gabon.
Gabon, a significant oil producer in Africa, boasts expansive forest coverage spanning almost 90% of its territory.
In June 2022, the nation joined the Commonwealth, distinguishing itself as one of the few members without a history of British colonial rule.
At the dawn of Wednesday morning, a dozen soldiers took to television to declare the invalidation of the election results and the dissolution of “all republican institutions.”
They further conveyed the closure of the nation’s borders “until further notice.”
If verified, this occurrence would mark the eighth coup within the former French colonies of Africa within the last three years.
However, the majority of the other instances have occurred farther north in the Sahel region, where an Islamist insurgency has given rise to growing grievances about the failure of democratically elected governments to safeguard civilian populations.
Elisabeth Borne, the Prime Minister of France, remarked that her nation was closely monitoring the situation, while the European Union’s chief of foreign policy expressed concerns that a military seizure of power would exacerbate instability in Africa.
Josep Borrell stated, “This poses a significant challenge for Europe.”
Meanwhile, Eramet, a French mining conglomerate employing numerous individuals in Gabon, revealed it had halted all operations in the country due to security considerations.
The soldiers who proclaimed this apparent coup identified themselves as members of the Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions, representing the nation’s security and defense forces.
One of the soldiers conveyed on Gabon 24 TV channel, “We have chosen to protect peace by terminating the current regime.”
He attributed this decision to “reckless and unpredictable governance, which has led to an ongoing erosion of social cohesion that jeopardizes pushing the country into turmoil.”
Gunfire resounded loudly in the capital city, Libreville, following the broadcast.
A resident in the western city of Port Gentil shared with BBC World Service’s Newsday program that a friend had awakened them to the soldiers’ announcement.
“They kept replaying a communique on both national TV channels,” they recounted, noting that it appeared that all branches of Gabon’s defense and security forces were involved.
BBC World Service Africa editor Will Ross suggested that this indicates the coup might not be entirely resolved, and there could be some resistance ahead.
As of now, there has been no immediate response from the government to the soldiers’ declaration, and the whereabouts of Mr. Bongo remain unknown.
Internet access, suspended since Saturday’s election due to security reasons, was reinstated shortly after the apparent takeover. Additionally, a curfew has been put in place.
As in previous general elections in Gabon, there were serious concerns about the process in Saturday’s vote.
Main opposition candidate Albert Ondo Ossa complained that many polling stations lacked ballot papers bearing his name, while the coalition he represents said the names of some of those who had withdrawn from the presidential race had still been on the ballot sheet.
Campaign group Reporters Without Borders said foreign media had been banned from setting foot in the country to cover the vote.
Both of Mr Bongo’s previous wins were disputed as fraudulent by opponents. This time, controversial changes were made to voting papers just weeks before election day.
Mr Bongo came to power when his father Omar died in 2009.
In 2018, he suffered a stroke which sidelined him for almost a year and led to calls for him to step aside.
The following year, a failed coup attempt saw mutinying soldiers sent to prison.