Brice Oligui Nguema Wins Gabon Presidential Election With 90.35% Of Vote

Gabon’s transitional leader Brice Oligui Nguema, who orchestrated the 2023 military coup that ousted President Ali Bongo, has been declared winner of the country’s first post-coup presidential election, securing a landslide 90.35% of the vote.

The Ministry of the Interior released provisional results on Sunday following the April 12 election, which saw a 70.4% voter turnout.

Nguema’s closest rival, Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze, received a mere 3.02%, while six other candidates garnered less than 1% each.

This marks Gabon’s return to constitutional governance after over 18 months of military-led transition and ends over five decades of Bongo family dominance.

Nguema, 50, voted in Libreville and entered the race as a civilian after formally stepping aside from military duties. He now embarks on a renewable seven-year term.

Observers noted a largely smooth process, with over 94% of polling stations operating under satisfactory conditions, and transparency rated at 98.6%.

Despite concerns, the election is seen as a critical turning point for Gabon, a country where a third of the 2.3 million population lives in poverty despite abundant oil resources.

The results reinforce Nguema’s strong grip on power and open a new chapter in Gabon’s political landscape.