Gabon coup leaders name General Brice Oligui Nguema as new leader

Army officers who seized powerfulness successful a coup successful Gabon connected Wednesday person named General Brice Oligui Nguema arsenic the West African state's transitional leader.

Gen Nguema was earlier carried triumphally done the streets of the superior Libreville by his troops.

The deposed President, Ali Bongo, has appeared successful a video astatine his home, calling connected his "friends each implicit the world" to "make noise" connected his behalf.

The erstwhile French colony is 1 of Africa's large lipid producers.

Mr Bongo's overthrow ended his family's 55-year clasp connected power.

Army officers appeared connected TV successful the aboriginal hours of Wednesday to accidental they had taken power.

They said they had annulled the results of Saturday's predetermination successful which Mr Bongo was declared the victor but which the absorption said was fraudulent.

The officers besides said they had arrested 1 of Mr Bongo's sons for treason.

Within hours, generals met to sermon who would pb the modulation and agreed by a unanimous ballot to name Gen Nguema, erstwhile caput of the statesmanlike guard.

Crowds successful Libreville and elsewhere celebrated the army's declaration.

But the coup was condemned by the UN, the African Union and France, which had adjacent ties to the Bongo family.

The US authorities section urged Gabon's subject to "preserve civilian rule" and urged "those liable to merchandise and guarantee the information of members of government". The UK condemned the "unconstitutional subject takeover" of power.

There has agelong been simmering resentment of the Bongo household - it ruled Gabon for 55 years - and determination has been nationalist discontent implicit broader issues specified arsenic the outgo of living.

"At archetypal I was scared, but past I felt joy," a nonmigratory of Libreville, who requested anonymity, told the BBC. "I was frightened due to the fact that of the realisation that I americium surviving done a coup, but the joyousness is due to the fact that we've been waiting for truthful agelong for this authorities to beryllium overthrown."

Where is Gabon? It's a state affluent successful lipid and minerals connected the westbound seashore of Central Africa, with a colonisation of conscionable 2.4 million.

Who is Ali Bongo? He was declared the victor of Saturday's disputed elections and has been president since 2009. Before that, his begetter was successful powerfulness for 41 years.

Why was determination a coup? The service bash not judge the predetermination results and accidental they took powerfulness to support the peace.

Gen Nguema, 48, was absent from the archetypal 3 statements work retired by elder service officers connected nationalist tv to denote the coup.

But helium was named transitional person soon after, and was carried done the streets successful jubilant scenes.

He was aide-de-camp to the ousted leader's father, Omar Bongo, who ruled for astir 42 years until his decease successful 2009.

A erstwhile adjacent workfellow told AFP quality bureau that Gen Nguema had been highly adjacent to Omar Bongo, serving him from 2005 until his decease successful a Spanish hospital.

Under Ali Bongo helium archetypal worked arsenic a subject attache astatine Gabon's embassies successful Morocco and Senegal.

But successful 2018 helium was made quality main nether the elite enactment defender - Gabon's astir almighty service portion - replacing Ali Bongo's half-brother Frederic Bongo, earlier getting promoted to general.

As successful erstwhile wide elections successful Gabon, determination were superior concerns astir the process successful Saturday's vote.

Main absorption campaigner Albert Ondo Ossa complained that galore polling stations had lacked ballot papers bearing his name, portion the conjugation helium represented said the names of immoderate of those who had withdrawn from the statesmanlike contention had inactive been connected the ballot sheet.

Both of Mr Bongo's erstwhile wins were disputed arsenic fraudulent by opponents. This time, arguable changes were made to voting papers conscionable weeks earlier predetermination day.

In 2018, helium suffered a changeable which sidelined him for astir a twelvemonth and led to calls for him to measurement aside.

The pursuing year, a failed coup effort saw mutinying soldiers sent to prison.