Brice Oligui Nguema Faces Competition in Upcoming Gabonese Presidential Election

Gabon’s military leader Brice Oligui Nguema will contest the presidential election on April 12 against three challengers, including former prime minister Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze. The candidacy list, approved amid a revised electoral code allowing military participation, features only four candidates out of 23 submissions.

In Gabon, military leader Brice Oligui Nguema is set to compete in the presidential election scheduled for April 12, where he will face three challengers. Among these opponents is Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze, the final prime minister under the previous regime of Ali Bongo Ondimba, who holds the distinction of being the strongest contender against Oligui. The other candidates include lawyer Joseph Lapensee Essingone and doctor Stephane Germain Iloko Boussengui.

Interior Minister Hermann Immongault announced that of the 23 candidacies submitted, only four were declared acceptable. The rejections involved notable names, including influential trade unionist and senator Jean-Remy Yama, though the reasons for their disqualification were not disclosed.

Brice Oligui, who proclaimed his candidacy on March 3, intends to return governance to civilian leadership. He was positioned to do so after a newly adopted electoral code, validated by the transitional parliament, permitted military officers to enter the electoral race. Furthermore, he confirmed that the Ministry of Defense approved his request to remove his general’s uniform during the electoral process.

Brice Oligui Nguema’s upcoming presidential election in Gabon is marked by significant competition, particularly from former prime minister Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze. With 23 candidates submitted, the scrutiny of admissions emphasizes the changing political landscape following the military coup. The new electoral regulations facilitating Oligui’s candidacy illustrate the evolving governance dynamics in Gabon as he prepares to potentially transition power back to civilians.

Original Source: www.arabnews.com