Violence erupted on Thursday after President Ali Bongo was declared the victor of the contested polls, with thousands of angry protesters taking to the streets of Libreville accusing the government of stealing the election from rival Jean Ping.
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Ping said two people were killed and many wounded as soldiers fired tear gas and live ammunition, while a government spokesperson said security forces were searching for “criminals” who earlier set fire to the National Assembly building in the capital, Libreville.
Overnight, security forces assaulted the headquarters of opposition leader Jean Ping, according to Ping and witnesses.
Government spokesman Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze confirmed the presidential guard operation on the opposition headquarters, saying one person was dead and 16 injured.
Protesters set the National Assembly building in Libreville, Gabon, on fire after President Ali Bongo was declared the victor of last weekend’s election.
The president of the opposition National Union party, Zacharie Myboto, who was inside the besieged building, said security forces were hurling teargas canisters and opened fire.
The BBC’s Charles Stephane Mavoungou in Libreville says people there have been unable to access the internet.
Several Libreville residents said social media, including Facebook and Twitter, were no longer functioning.
Ban said he was “deeply concerned and saddened” by the crisis in Gabon “in particular the arson attacks and disproportionate response of security agencies that has led to unfortunate loss of life and property”.
Authorities said Bongo won Saturday’s election with 49.8 percent of the vote, while Ping had 48.23 percent.
European Union observers criticized what they called a “lack of transparency” in the vote, and both the EU and the United States called for electoral officials to publish results from all polling stations. He said his campaign has evidence the election was rigged and plans to present it to Gabon’s constitutional court.
Ping’s party had earlier said its tally showed their candidate won 59% of the vote versus 38% for Bongo, with only one province left to count, a claim the government condemned as an effort to destabilise the country.
“This will help give the people of Gabon – as well as the global community – confidence the announced vote tallies are accurate”, US State Department spokesman John Kirby said.
Some members of the electoral commission resigned as the results were announced Wednesday.
The UN, US and former colonial power France have called for restraint and greater transparency about the results.
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Mr Bongo took office in 2009 after an election marred by violence, succeeding his father Omar Bongo who had come to power in 1967.
