Dispute intensifies over Gabon presidential election

His campaign team issued a statement saying, “Jean Ping has filed a request for reversal of the proclamation of results of the presidential election” in Bongo’s stronghold province.

“An analysis of the number of non-voters as well as blank and disqualified votes reveals a clear anomaly in the final results in Haut-Ogooue”, an European Union election observer mission said in a statement Tuesday.

The poll and its violent aftermath – at least six people have died in riots – have drawn global attention to Gabon, which counts Total and Royal Dutch Shell PLC among foreign investors.

Reacting to the criticism, Bongo (57), told France’s RTL radio: “I would also have liked them to have noted some anomalies in the fiefdom of Mr Ping”. I can not violate the law.

“France is not here to make decisions for African countries; we are here to help find a solution and support the African Union (AU) mission”, he said. He said he was preparing his own objections.

“That’s what France, the USA and the European Union are asking”, he said, adding that he hoped such global pressure would also be brought to bear to ensure a fair ruling.

France, the former colonial power has a military base and substantial business interests in Gabon, has urged a recount.

Critics of Bongo, who won a disputed election in 2009 after the death of his long-ruling father Omar Bongo, say he has not done enough to redistribute oil wealth beyond a small elite. In April, anti-corruption investigators seized several Bongo family properties in France.

“If we go to the constitutional court, we will enter a trap we can never escape”, a close associate of Ping said late yesterday.

He has alleged the number of votes cast for Bongo in southeastern Haut-Ogooue province was inflated.

Official results from Haut-Ogooue showed a participation rate more than double that of other regions and with 95.46 percent of voters backing Bongo.

Bongo has countered that it was Ping who cheated.

Bongo has also accused Ping of “committing fraud” and said that only the Constitutional Court could order a recount. I am in favour the Constitutional Court taking up the case and may it confirm my election.

He said any suggestion of forming a unity government with opponents was premature.

“It is hard to work with those who asked the Gabonese people to go into the streets and loot”, he said.