Brice Oligui Nguema wins Gabon presidential election in landslide victory

Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, the military general who orchestrated the 2023 coup in Gabon, has been officially declared the winner of the country’s presidential election, securing a staggering 90.35% of the vote, according to provisional results announced Sunday by the national electoral commission.

“Elected, with the absolute majority of this vote, with 575,222 votes, or 90.35%, Mr. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema. Thank you,” said Interior Minister Hermann Immongault, who also heads the electoral commission, during a nationally televised address.

Oligui Nguema, 50, faced seven other contenders, including former Prime Minister Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze, who received just 3% of the ballots cast. The remaining votes were split among the other candidates, none of whom posed a significant challenge to the transitional leader’s hold on power.

Though some vote counts remain to be confirmed, the results signal a dominant electoral mandate for Oligui Nguema, who led the bloodless military takeover that ended the decades-long Bongo dynasty. His victory is expected to cement his transition from coup leader to civilian president, marking a new chapter in Gabonese politics.

The election was the first since President Ali Bongo Ondimba was deposed in August 2023, following contested elections and mounting discontent over alleged corruption and political stagnation. Oligui, then head of the Republican Guard, swiftly took control, promising to restore democracy and reform institutions.

Critics, however, have raised concerns about the fairness of the electoral process, citing the short timeline, lack of strong opposition infrastructure, and restrictions on media coverage during the campaign.

Supporters of Oligui Nguema hail him as a stabilizing force, pointing to his anti-corruption rhetoric and promises to diversify Gabon’s oil-dependent economy. In his victory address, Oligui is expected to outline his vision for the country’s political future, including possible constitutional reforms.

International observers have yet to release their official assessments of the election. Meanwhile, the political opposition has remained largely muted, with few immediate challenges to the results.

The coming days will be critical as Gabon — a central African nation rich in natural resources — begins its transition under a new, democratically elected government for the first time in nearly two years.