Gabon opposition candidate decries high court ruling

The court, while partially changing the results of the close August 27 vote, said Bongo maintained a lead over his former ally-turned-opponent Ping.

“I will not retreat”.

“This is a hard situation for the country, and we need to take time to think and respond correctly”, said Henri Elang, a member of Ping’s entourage, who said he was speaking on behalf of the candidate.

Ping, who maintains he won the election, said on Saturday that the court had demonstrated “bias” in its “unjust” decision to validate Bongo’s narrow victory, which he also branded a “miscarriage of justice”.

However, in a ruling late on Friday, it refused to accept copies of vote tally sheets provided as evidence by Ping, stating he had failed to prove their authenticity.

During more than four decades in power, Omar Bongo cultivated close relations with a string of French presidents.

The decision had been read late on Friday night in an nearly empty court chamber.

“I will make this victory one for all Gabonese”, Bongo said in a statement that moved on his Twitter account minutes after the announcement was made.

Concern has been growing that a ruling in favour of Bongo, in power since the death of his long-ruling father Omar Bongo in 2009, could spark more of the deadly unrest Gabon saw after the president’s re-election was announced.

The court on Friday threw out Ping’s challenge, thereby declaring Bongo’s re-election legitimate in spite of worldwide criticism.

Mr Ping had warned that Gabon could face serious instability if the court rejected his appeal for a recount in that province.

Bongo was announced as the victor of the country’s general elections, which were held late last month.

European Union election observers said there had been a “clear anomaly” in the results from the province. The government said that it would hold the opposition leader Jean Ping’ responsible if clashes erupt following the ruling.

The opposition says as many as 100 people have been killed while 1,200 others have been detained by authorities as part of a government crackdown.

In his legal challenge, Ping asked for a recount in Haut-Ogooue province, a stronghold of the Bongo family who have ruled Gabon since 1967.