Gabon’s Bongo says poll rivals have ‘no chance’

Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba gestures as he speaks

to journalists during an interview in Libreville, on August 12,

2016.

Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba assured today during

an exclusive interview with AFP journalists, that his

opponents “are afraid” to participate to the presidential

elections held on August 27, 2016, because, according to him,

“they have no chance to win”. / AFP PHOTO / STEVE JORDAN

President Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon wrote off

Friday his political opponents’ chances in an

upcoming presidential election, saying they were

“afraid” because they had “no chance of winning”.

In exclusive comments to AFP, Bongo also dismissed

allegations he was not Gabonese, but Nigerian —

which would make him ineligible to stand for

reelection later this month.

“I’m in the situation of being an outgoing president

with a track record and they prefer to come and get

me on ridiculous things,” he said, referring to

opposition claims he has falsified his birth

certificate.

Speaking on the eve of campaigning officially

getting underway for the August 27 elections, Bongo

said: “That proves they are afraid of going to the

polls.”

“They fear the candidate Ali Bongo because he, after

all, has a satisfactory track record… and they have

no chance of winning,” he said, speaking to

reporters at the presidential palace.

Bongo has faced allegations that he is not Gabonese,

but Nigerian, and that he was adopted by his father

Omar, who was president from 1967 until his death

in 2009.

Bongo called the allegation “ridiculous” and

brushed aside the supposed existence of several

birth certificates as “fantasies”.

Rival Leon Paul Ngoulakia, one of 13 people

challenging the president in the election, has said

Bongo should take a DNA test to prove his

parentage and eligibility to run.

On July 25, the constitutional court rejected an

appeal against the eligibility of Bongo, who came to

power in a disputed election following his father’s

death.

Bongo, 57, who is running for a second seven-year

term, is due Saturday to hold an electoral meeting

in Akanda, a town adjoining the capital Libreville.

Earlier this month, Bongo warned of possible unrest

during the election which he said was the “strategy”

of the opposition.

The representative of the EU election observation

mission also called on politicians to “do everything”

to “avoid any violence or any form of provocation”.

In the lead-up to the elections, the security forces

have had a greater presence in the capital, with

road checkpoints at night.

Libreville saw two incidents last month when police

dispersed small gatherings of opponents.

– Newfound oil wealth –

Two of his main rivals, Jean Ping and Guy Nzouba

Ndama, are also due to rally supporters.

Ping, 74, a former head of the Commission of the

African Union and ex-brother-in-law of Ali Bongo,

previously worked as a diplomat and has pledged to

stay in power for only one term if he wins.

Nzouba Ndama, 70, spent around two decades as

head of the national assembly and has support of

several local dignitaries who are disenchanted with

the policies of the governing party.

A third credible candidate is former prime minister

Casimir Oye Mba, who has faced criticism for his

2009 last-minute withdrawal from the race to

support Bongo.

Bongo was elected for a first term in a disputed

2009 vote following the death of his father Omar

Bongo Ondimba, who had steered Gabon from 1967

and was described by critics as a corrupt despot.

This rule saw the country tap its newfound oil

wealth that led to a per capita income four times

that of most sub-Saharan African nations.

However most of it has not trickled down to

ordinary people. Critics accuse the Bongo family of

usurping the country’s riches and stifling

democracy.