Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema has called for strict transparency and adherence to republican rules in the legislative and local elections scheduled for September, following reports of irregularities in the candidate lists.
Posting on social media on 23 August, the president expressed concern over “irregularities in the composition of the candidate lists” and stressed that ensuring “transparency, rigor and respect for republican rules” is essential to guarantee “the integrity, transparency and peace” of the upcoming polls.
“For the past few hours, I have been receiving disturbing information regarding irregularities in the composition of the candidate lists for the upcoming legislative and local elections,” Oligui Nguema wrote. “I say this firmly: these incongruities, if they are proven, are unacceptable. They undermine the fairness of the electoral process and undermine the very foundations of our democracy.”
He added that the counting of ballots will be conducted office by office in the presence of the media, with an “election night” organised to maintain transparency.
The statement follows criticism from the opposition party Ensemble Pour le Gabon (EPG), led by former Prime Minister Alain Claude Bilie By Nze. EPG, which finished second in the presidential election won by Oligui Nguema, denounced the timing and validation of candidacies by the Ministry of the Interior. The party highlighted that candidate lists were published just one day before the appeal deadline, disadvantaging those outside the capital, Libreville.
EPG reported that out of 24 applications submitted, only 10 were approved, with another classified as independent despite being submitted under the party banner. The party accused authorities of ignoring applications submitted within an additional 48-hour window and described the process as “an attempt at exclusion.” It called for measures to “guarantee the participation of all candidates for a truly democratic, free and peaceful election.”
The first round of legislative and local elections is scheduled for 27 September, with campaigns running from 17–26 September. A second round is planned for 11 October, with campaigns from 1–10 October.
Oligui Nguema’s warning resonates in the context of his rise to power on 30 August 2023 following a military coup that ousted Ali Bongo Ondimba. The putschists at the time cited “serious irregularities” in the presidential vote and denounced “irresponsible and unpredictable governance.” Two years later, the president emphasises that electoral transparency remains crucial to preserving democracy and institutional stability in Gabon.
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