Another African country’s democracy may have suffered a setback as a dramatic coup has been recorded in Gabon.
The military has announced a coup in Gabon, deposing President Ali Bongo, who was declared winner of Saturday’s election.
Consequently, the country’s military officers have cancelled the elections results and dissolved state institutions, claiming they have taken power, local media reported on Wednesday.
The African country’s borders are closed until further notice, said the reports, adding gunfire was heard in the capital Libreville.
The officers said that the general election was not credible and the results are annulled.
Prior to the incident, Gabon’s national electoral body said that President Ali Bongo Ondimba from the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party was re-elected for a third term in Saturday’s election.
In announcing the coup, the military said they represented all security and defence forces of Gabon.
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Bongo, who came to power after the death of his father in 2009, won a third term in an election which opposition argued was heavily disputed.
“In the name of the Gabonese people … we have decided to defend the peace by putting an end to the current regime,” the officers said.
The development comes amid the move to resolve the removal of a democratically elected president in Niger Republic.
Both the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and African Union (AU), which have rejected the coup in Niger, are yet to react to the situation in Gabon as of the time of filing this report as developments are still unfolding.