France on Thursday called on the Gabon government to release details of local vote tallies after the opposition said President Ali Bongo’s election victory was rigged.
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Gabon’s opposition leader said two people were killed and 19 injured when security forces attacked his headquarters after the incumbent president, Ali Bongo, was declared the victor of contested polls.
A report claimed Bongo had won 95.5 percent of votes in the province, with turnout at 99.9 percent.
Bongo, whose father held onto power for four decades, sought relection after winning a first term in 2009 in a poll that was marred by violence.
Ping has urged Bongo to step down.
Bongo’s main challenger for the presidency, Jean Ping, a former foreign minister, African Union Commission chairman and lifelong political insider in Gabon, has already declared victory.
The president was first elected in 2009 after the death of his father Omar, who ran Gabon for 42 years.
“We think it is necessary to publish the results of all the polling stations”, the French foreign ministry said.
The Commission had been scheduled to release the results by Tuesday evening and the delay has made Gabonese citizens increasinly nervous.
“Everybody knows that I won the election”, Ping told Reuters, adding that the electoral commission’s figures were based on false documents.
Several people were killed in post-poll clashes, buildings looted and the French Consulate in the oil-rich city Port Gentil set on fire as opposition supporters clashed with security forces.
Ping rejected the electoral commission results and demanded a recount.
“This will help give the people of Gabon – as well as the worldwide community – confidence the announced vote tallies are accurate”, US State Department spokesman John Kirby said. Overnight, security forces assaulted the headquarters of opposition leader Jean Ping, according to Ping and witnesses.
Protesters took to the streets shortly after the announcement and set fire to the parliament building. He benefited from being the incumbent in a country with a patronage system lubricated by oil largesse.
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U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged political leaders and their supporters “to refrain from further acts that could undermine the peace and stability of the country”.
