Gabon heads for April 12 presidential polls in bid to end military rule

Gabon’s council of ministers announced that presidential elections would be held on April 12, ending the military rule that began with a coup in 2023.

A ministerial cabinet meeting minutes confirmed the scheduling of the presidential election.

“Under the terms of this decree, the electoral college is convened for Saturday 12 April 2025,” the minutes of Wednesday night’s meeting read.

Gabon’s interim President Brice Oligui Nguema seized power in a coup, the eighth in West and Central Africa between 2020 and 2023, that ended the longstanding rule of his predecessor Ali Bongo and his family over the oil-rich but impoverished nation.

In November,  Gabon  voted yes  in a referendum on a new constitution, delivering on a promise by the military coup leaders to take steps towards restoring constitutional rule.

The new constitution provides for a maximum of two seven-year presidential terms, no prime minister and no dynastic transfer of power.

However, some observers fear that the ruling military government may use the process to remain in power.

On Monday, a new law allowed military officials to stand in elections, subject to certain conditions.

That means that Nguema, the transitional leader who made no secret of his ambitions to be elected as president, gets an exception to run.

The oil-rich Central African country had been under the rule of the Bongo family for 55 years until the August 2023 coup.

Ali Bongo ruled for 14 years until he was overthrown moments after being proclaimed the winner in a presidential election the military and opposition declared fraudulent.

He took office on the death of his father, Omar, who had ruled for more than 41 years.