Marc Ona Essangui, the Coordinator of the RDB associations, stated, “For the Gabonese people, the RDB is essentially the party of Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema. For the election, it stands as a backing movement for his candidacy.”
This strategy by the organizers aims to keep up the momentum and broaden the RDB’s message nationwide by inviting members to act as ambassadors for the movement.
Thierry Akendengue, a member of the RDB, articulated their reasoning for joining the movement: “As dedicated young patriots of Gabon, we have aligned with the Rassemblement des Bâtisseurs platform because it offers a vision – a vision to build Gabon by reconstructing the Gabonese Order, executing optimal public policies, and establishing durable infrastructures.”
Nicaise Moulombi, another RDB member, commented, “In just 18 months, we’ve seen developments in our country that we had lost hope for, and modestly, we believe the Gabonese owe him this mandate.”
Modeste Abagha, a political analyst, suggested that these gatherings are driven by political motives, namely ambitions and personal interests. “It’s about securing advantageous positions for the future, not just strategic placements but also stances that appeal widely to the public,” he noted.
The upcoming presidential election on April 12 will feature a competition between eight candidates, including President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema and former Prime Minister Alain-Claude Billy Bizet, with the unique aspect that no candidates will represent a political party – a first since Gabon adopted multiparty politics in the 1990s.
