A group of Gabonese military soldiers appeared on television on Wednesday, declaring that they were “putting an end to the current regime” and calling off an election that President Ali Bongo Ondimba had won, according to official results.

AFP correspondents heard gunshots during the announcement in Gabon’s capital, Libreville.

One of the officers stated that “all the institutions of the republic” had been dissolved while announcing the revocation of the election results.

An officer read the address, who was surrounded by a dozen army colonels, members of the elite Republican Guard, regular soldiers, and others.

It came moments after the national election authority said Ali Bongo had won a third term in Saturday’s election with 64.27 percent of the vote.

Bongo has been in power for 14 years in the oil-rich West African country.

“Today, the country is going through a serious institutional, political, economic and social crisis,” the officer said on TV channel Gabon 24.

He said the recent election “did not meet the conditions for a transparent, credible and inclusive ballot so much hoped for by the people of Gabon.”

“We have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime,” the officer said, adding that he was speaking on behalf of the “Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions”.

The statement was also broadcast on Gabon 1 public television.

“To this end, the general elections of 26 August 2023 and the truncated results are cancelled,” he added.

‘Fraud’ Accusation 

“All the institutions of the republic are dissolved: the government, the Senate, the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court,” he added, announcing the closure of the country’s borders “until further notice”.

According to the figures released ahead to the announcement of the officers, Bongo’s primary competitor Albert Ondo Ossa received only 30.77 percent of the vote.

Ondo Ossa had accused Bongo of “fraud” before the polls closed on Saturday, claiming he was the genuine winner.

Bongo’s government ordered a curfew and a nationwide internet ban during the election to avoid the dissemination of “false news” and possible violence.

Ondo Ossa’s campaign manager, Mike Jocktane, called on Bongo to hand over power “without bloodshed” on Monday, claiming that a partial count showed Ondo Ossa clearly ahead but offering no proof.

Gabonese law prohibits the publication of partial results before the final result, which can only be published by the Gabonese Elections Centre, the entity that organizes the polls.