The Constitutional Court of Gabon has become the new battleground in an escalating internal war between two rival factions of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), each laying claim to the party’s leadership and authority ahead of crucial legislative and local elections.
Ali Akbar Onanga Y’Obegue, who asserts his position as secretary general based on an appointment by former President Ali Bongo, has declared a legal victory after the case was referred to the Constitutional Court.
“Justice has spoken, the law triumphs over usurpation,” he stated confidently. “Justice has ruled,” he added, insisting that the court’s involvement affirms his leadership and electoral authority.
Y’Obegue is pushing for the selection of consensual candidates for the upcoming elections, maintaining that he alone holds legitimate authority over the process.
But the faction led by Angélique Ngoma—still operating from the party’s headquarters—has sharply rejected Y’Obegue’s narrative, warning against premature celebrations and calling his interpretation “misleading communication intended to distort the facts.”
Ngoma’s camp was the one that initially filed an injunction at the Libreville Court of First Instance in the ongoing dispute.
On July 25, 2025, that court opted to refer the case to the Constitutional Court on grounds of unconstitutionality, effectively halting any decision until the higher court issues its opinion.
“The Libreville Court of First Instance has not yet rendered its decision,” the Ngoma side emphasized. “Only once this opinion has been issued will the court be able to resume examining the case and rule on the merits.”
With both factions continuing to assert their legitimacy, the dispute has now morphed into a high-stakes legal and constitutional standoff. As the deadline for submitting candidate lists draws near, all eyes are on Gabon’s highest court, whose eventual ruling could reshape the political landscape of the once-dominant party.
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