Gabon crisis live news: Soldiers stage coup, declare election ‘fraud

Soldiers have appeared on Gabonese national television to declare the annulment of recent election results and the dissolution of all republic institutions.

This apparent coup comes shortly after the national election authority's announcement that Gabon's President, Ali Bongo Ondimba, had been re-elected for a third term.

Reports suggest gunfire in the capital, Libreville.

The country's political opposition has labeled the election a "fraud orchestrated by Ali Bongo and his supporters."

Ovigwe Eguegu, a security analyst at Afripolitika, a security consultancy group, stated that this coup in Gabon is distinct from others in West Africa. Eguegu explained that past elections in 2016 and 2019 were marred by fraud and irregularities, leading to protests and even a coup attempt. The current coup seems rooted in the ongoing concern about the electoral process.

Residents in Gabon are waking up to the news, and reactions on the streets are anticipated. A common thread among recent coups in West and Central Africa has been economic stagnation, corruption, and insecurity.

China has urged all sides to ensure President Bongo's safety, while France is closely following events.

People are reportedly celebrating in the streets, and individuals speaking on TV have announced the arrest of government officials. The EU foreign policy chief highlights the deepening instability in the region due to these successive coups.

The army officers who seized power claim the country is "on the road to happiness" and will uphold commitments to the national and international community.

Furthermore, the borders have been indefinitely closed by the soldiers who announced the coup on state television.