According to provisional results, 91.8% of Gabonese people approved the new constitution of the military regime of General Brice Oligui Nguema. A result which must still be confirmed by the constitutional court, before the presidential election of 2025.
The new constitution drafted by the military regime of General Brice Oligui Nguema was overwhelmingly validated by the Gabonese on Sunday, with 91.8% “yes”. It is presented as a “major turning point» for the country after the fall of the Bongo dynasty.
Crucial issue of this consultation carried by the new strong man of the country, the participation rate rose to 53.54% – well below the first estimates (71%) -, according to provisional data published Sunday by the Ministry of the Interior.
A total of 868,115 voters were called on Saturday to cast a green ballot for “yes” or red for “no” during the voting day, presented by the government as a “historical moment», a little more than a year after the putsch which ended 55 years of rule by the Bongo family. Once the final results have been confirmed by the constitutional court, the next step will be the holding of a presidential election, currently scheduled for August 2025, to put a definitive end to the transition.
And «rise to bliss»
General Oligui promised to return power to civilians but he does not hide his presidential ambitions by also promising a “rise to bliss» to this country which is both rich in oil and heavily in debt. “We are here to build the country and we will build this country together“, he declared Friday to applause as he inaugurated a market in Libreville.
Since Friday, the authorities have reinforced the curfew put in place since the putsch, with hours “rearranged from 24 hours to 5 a.m. throughout the period of the electoral process».
No major incidents were reported during the voting day, according to the authorities and according to the Network of Citizen Observers (ROC), a platform of local associations supported by the United Nations.
