LIBREVILLE- Early on Wednesday, a group of senior military officers in Gabon appeared on national television and declared that they had assumed control.

This announcement came shortly after the state's election authority declared President Ali Bongo the winner of a third term.

These officers, appearing on Gabon 24 TV, claimed to represent all security and defense forces in the Central African country. They invalidated the election results, closed borders temporarily, and dissolved state institutions.

Following the officers' television appearance, the capital city Libreville experienced the alarming sounds of gunfire, as reported by a Reuters journalist.

The government of the OPEC-member country had not yet provided a response at that moment. Updates on the whereabouts of President Bongo were not available either, with his last public sighting occurring during his voting in the Saturday election.

The officers conveyed in a statement their intention to safeguard peace by terminating the existing regime, acting in the interest of the Gabonese population.

While one officer delivered the joint statement, a group of about twelve others stood silently behind him in military uniforms and berets.

The soldiers introduced themselves as members of The Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions. Their announcement included the dissolution of key state bodies: the government, senate, national assembly, constitutional court, and election body.

If successful, this coup would mark the eighth instance in West and Central Africa since 2020. Previous coups in countries like Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Niger have set back democratic progress in recent years.

In a similar vein, just the previous month, Niger experienced a military takeover, which had regional and global implications due to strategic interests.
Tensions had risen in Gabon following the recent elections, as fears of unrest emerged. The elections included the presidential, parliamentary, and legislative votes.

President Bongo aimed to continue his family's five-decade grip on power, while the opposition sought change in the nation that, despite its wealth in oil and cocoa, remained plagued by poverty.

Doubts regarding the fairness of the electoral process emerged due to the absence of international monitors, the suspension of certain foreign broadcasts, and the implementation of measures like cutting off internet access and imposing a nationwide curfew following the elections.

In January 2019, Gabon managed to thwart an attempted military coup when soldiers briefly seized control of the state radio station. They used it to broadcast a message asserting that Bongo, who had previously suffered a stroke, was not fit for office. The situation was restored shortly after, with some coup plotters losing their lives and others being apprehended.

According to the Gabonese Election Centre, Bongo was declared the winner of the recent election with 64.27% of the votes. His primary rival, Albert Ondo Ossa, secured second place with 30.77%.

Bongo, who has been in power since 2009 following his father's succession, competed against 18 opponents. Six of them supported Ondo Ossa in an effort to narrow the field.

The government defended the internet blackout and curfew as measures to combat misinformation and maintain public safety. Bongo's controversial victory in the 2016 election led to violent protests, including the burning of the parliament building.

Bongo's team dismissed allegations of fraud raised by Ondo Ossa and the opposition alliance, despite some polling stations experiencing delays during the vote.

The opposition alliance, Alternance 2023, also alleged other irregularities, such as improper distribution of ballot slips for their candidates in certain areas. However, Reuters could not independently verify this claim.

Unlike previous occasions, the European Union was not invited to oversee this election. EU monitors had previously expressed skepticism about the legitimacy of Bongo's narrow win in the 2016 presidential vote.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) voiced concern about Gabon's internet block and temporary suspension of French news outlets RFI, France 24, and TV5 Monde. RSF criticized these actions for potentially compromising the transparency of the general election.

The opposition has challenged Bongo's prior electoral successes, citing fraudulent practices. He initially assumed power in 2009 after his father's death and was re-elected in 2016.