The small African nation of Gabon is preparing for its first executive elections since a military coup in 2023 that ended 50 years of rule by the Bongo political family. Brice Clotaite Oligui Nguema, who led the coup and has since served as the transition president, is the main candidate among four competitors and is widely anticipated to win. Despite controversial reforms that critics argue were tailored to make him eligible for the vote, Nguema has pledged to “lift” and transform Gabon economically. Other candidates include Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze, who challenges Nguema as the opposition while acknowledging his tainted past, and two lesser-known candidates, Stephane Germain Iloko Boussengui and Joseph Lapensee Essingone. The elections, scheduled for April 12, 2025, mark a critical moment in Gabon’s political history, with questions about the legitimacy and fairness of the vote given the country’s history of electoral manipulation and political unrest.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/12/gabons-first-election-after-collapse-of-bongo-dynasty-whats-at-stake?traffic_source=rss