By John Ikani
Gabon’s ousted President Ali Bongo has appeared in a video urging his “friends” to “make noise” after military personnel in the oil-rich nation of Central Africa carried out a coup.
“I’m sending a message to all friends that we have all over the world to tell them to make noise for (…) the people here who arrested me and my family,” he expressed, looking depressed in the recording shared on social media.
Prior to this, a faction of Gabonese military officers appeared on television, declaring the termination of the existing regime and nullifying Ondimba’s election.
The coup announcement was delivered by an officer accompanied by a gathering of around twelve army colonels, including members from the distinguished Republican Guard, regular soldiers, and others.
The coup unfolded shortly after the national election authority had announced Bongo’s triumph in the Saturday election, securing a third term with 64.27 percent of the votes.
The officer announced the annulment of the election outcomes, adding that “all the institutions of the republic” had been dissolved.
As the announcement aired, the sound of gunfire reverberated across Gabon’s capital, Libreville.
