Following a military coup in Gabon, the coup leaders have named General Brice Oligui Nguema as the transitional president. The coup was prompted by disputed elections in which President Ali Bongo Ondimba was declared the winner. The African Union and Nigeria have expressed concern over the coup and the implications for democracy in the continent.
The coup leaders dissolved “all the institutions of the republic,” canceled the election results, and closed the country’s borders. The coup leaders cited the country’s “serious institutional, political, economic, and social crisis” as their rationale for the takeover.
President Bongo has been placed under house arrest, and his son and close adviser, Noureddin Bongo Valentin, have been arrested for treason and other charges. The coup announcement came shortly after Bongo was declared the winner of a third term in the national election, triggering accusations of fraud from the opposition.
World leaders, including UN scribe, have condemned the coup, calling on the military to ensure the safety of President Bongo and his family. African leaders have expressed concern over the spread of autocracy in the continent, especially considering recent military takeovers in Mali, Guinea, Sudan, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
