Riots erupted after results from an August 27 election handed victory to incumbent President Ali Bongo by fewer than 6,000 votes, extending a half-century dynasty that has been in place since his father took power in 1967.
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On Ping’s warning to the court that unrest would follow a decision in Bongo’s favor, the court announced that Ping would be held accountable for any subsequent violence.
Ping had declared himself the rightful president and called for a vote recount over alleged electoral fraud days after Bongo won the election with a razor-blade margin.
Gabon’s promised recount of votes in the August 27 election will be “more of a review” because the ballots have already been burned, according to the nation’s ambassador to the U.S.
Ping has warned the country could face serious instability if the court rejects his appeal for a recount.
The court cancelled votes in 21 constituencies in the capital Libreville, but Bongo still won the vote with 50.66 percent of ballots cast.
“(As) president clearly elected by the Gabonese people, I remain at your side to defend your vote and your sovereignty”, he said.
Correspondents say residents of Libreville were stockpiling food ahead of the court ruling.
Ping seeks to unseat the family that has ruled this oil-rich Central African country for more than four decades.
During the ensuing chaos, demonstrators set fire to the parliament and clashed violently with police, who arrested around a thousand people.
He said the new government would “most likely” include leading opposition figures and did not rule out the possibility of reserving a place for Ping.
At least seven people died during protests that erupted this month after the announcement of the election results.
A European Union observer mission stated it had uncovered anomalies in the province’s results.
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“The goal of these people is admitted to more victims, as if the number of already registered deaths and grief that strikes many Gabonese families are not already dead too”, he added.
