Gabon’s Military Leader Brice Nguema Clinches Presidency with Overwhelming 90% Vote Share
Brice Oligui Nguema, Gabon’s transitional military leader, has been officially declared the winner of the country’s presidential election, securing a landslide victory with 90.35 percent of the vote, according to preliminary results released by Interior Minister Hermann Immongault.
This marks Gabon’s first presidential election since the 2023 coup that ended the decades-long rule of the Bongo family. Nguema, 50, seized power in August 2023 by toppling then-president Ali Bongo, a distant cousin, in what became one of the eight successful coups across West and Central Africa since 2020.
His closest challenger, Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze, managed to secure only 3.02 percent, while the remaining six candidates failed to cross even the 1 percent threshold, underscoring the dominance of Nguema’s support base.
Voter turnout was recorded at 70.4 percent, a sharp drop from the initially reported 87 percent. Immongault clarified the discrepancy, attributing it to logistical challenges faced by Gabonese voters abroad.
Nguema’s victory cements his grip on power after months of transitional rule. Although he initially pledged to return the country to civilian leadership following the military takeover, he officially joined the presidential race only last month.
His rapid transition from military ruler to elected president comes amid high expectations for political stability and economic reform in the oil-rich Central African nation.
The election outcome reflects overwhelming public endorsement for Nguema’s leadership, following his decisive move to end years of Bongo family governance, which had long been criticized for corruption and mismanagement.
