Gabon President Under House Arrest – Coup Leaders

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Wednesday, August 30th, 2023

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba is under house arrest and one of his sons has been arrested for “treason”, military officers said Wednesday, hours after announcing they had overthrown the government.

“President Ali Bongo is under house arrest, surrounded by his family and doctors,” they said in a statement read out on state TV.

Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba, whose ouster has been announced by rebel officers, came to power in 2009, succeeding his father Omar, the country’s ruler for more than four decades.

Prior to Wednesday’s dramatic announcement, Bongo’s spell in office was marked by disputed elections and a stroke that spurred rumours about his fitness for office and fuelled a minor attempted coup.

The 64-year-old had hoped to leave his doubters on the back foot as he battled for a third term in presidential elections last Saturday.

After a vote that the opposition said they had won, the national election authority early Wednesday declared Bongo the victor with 64.27 percent of the vote.

Just an hour or so later, a group of army officers made a televised address saying they were “putting an end to the current regime”, dissolving all of Gabon’s institutions and declaring the election results void.