General Brice Oligui Nguema, who led a coup last week that toppled Gabon’s 55-year-old dynasty, took the oath of office as interim president on Monday, promising to hold “free… (and) transparent elections” after an unspecified period.

Oligui, head of the elite Republican Guard, led officers in a coup on Wednesday against President Ali Bongo Ondimba, scion of a family that had ruled since 1967.

The ousting came just moments after Bongo, 64, was proclaimed victor in last month’s presidential election — a result branded a fraud by the opposition.

“I swear before God and the Gabonese people to faithfully preserve the republican regime,” said Oligui.

Dressed in the red ceremonial costume of the Republican Guard, Oligui also swore to “preserve the achievements of democracy”, at the ceremony held before judges of the Constitutional Court.

He immediately pledged in a speech to hold “free… (and) transparent elections” after a transition period which he did not specify, and to amnesty “prisoners of conscience.”

Elections Promised 

The coup leaders on Wednesday said they had dissolved the nation’s institutions, cancelled the election results and temporarily closed the borders.

Other countries have not acknowledged Oligui as Gabon’s legitimate leader and he faces pressure to spell out his plans for restoring civilian rule.

Oligui was lifted up triumphantly by his troops following the announcement of the coup, and in the days since has been seen flanked by generals and colonels.

He has also held hours of high-profile discussions with business and religious leaders, unions, political parties, NGOs, diplomats, and journalists, and has been taking notes and responding at length to questions and grievances.

On Friday, he vowed to create more democratic institutions that respect human rights, but said he would proceed “without haste”.

A fringe of the former opposition is urging Oligui to hand over power, but many people in Gabon seem happy about the overthrow of the Bongo dynasty, with celebrations in the streets of the capital Libreville and the economic hub of Port-Gentil.

Several Western countries and organisations have condemned the coup while acknowledging that it is different to others on the continent due to concerns over the credibility of the vote itself.

“Naturally, military coups are not the solution, but we must not forget that in Gabon there had been elections full of irregularities,” said the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

‘Make Noise’ 

Former president Bongo had been seeking his third term in office after coming to power in 2009 following the death of his father Omar, who ruled Gabon with an iron fist for over 40 years.

The coup leaders said they had put him under house arrest and placed him “in retirement”.

But Bongo managed to distribute a video on social media where he said his son and wife Sylvia had been detained, appealing to “all friends that we have all over the world… to make noise” on his behalf.

National TV on Friday showed rolling images of the deposed president’s son Noureddin Bongo Valentin and other arrested officials in front of suitcases filled with cash allegedly seized from their homes.

The military has accused them of treason, embezzlement, corruption and falsifying the president’s signature, among other allegations.

Five other countries in Africa — Mali, Guinea, Sudan, Burkina Faso and Niger — have undergone coups in the last three years. Their new rulers have resisted demands for a short timetable for returning to barracks.

AFP

Niger’s new military rulers have withdrawn the French ambassador’s diplomatic immunity and ordered police to expel him, according to a letter seen Thursday by AFP.

The envoy “no longer enjoys the privileges and immunities attached to his status as member of the diplomatic personnel in the French embassy,” according to their letter, dated Tuesday, to the foreign ministry in Paris.

“(His) diplomatic cards and visas and those of the members of his family have been cancelled. The police have been instructed to proceed to his expulsion,” it said.

The move follows a coup in the troubled Sahel state on July 26 that toppled a close French ally, President Mohamed Bazoum.

Relations with France spiralled downwards after Paris stood by Bazoum and refused to recognise Niger’s new rulers.

On Friday, the authorities gave French envoy Sylvain Itte 48 hours to leave the country.

France refused the demand, saying that the government had no legal right to make such an order.

On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron singled out Itte for praise after he remained at his post.

French military spokesman Colonel Pierre Gaudilliere on Thursday warned that “the French military forces are ready to respond to any upturn in tension that could harm French diplomatic and military premises in Niger”.

“Measures have been take to protect these premises,” he said.

The Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) has called on the United Nations, partner countries, and other institutions to support its efforts to ensure a quick restoration of constitutional order in Niger Republic.

It also ordered the deployment of the bloc’s standby force to restore constitutional order in the West African nation.

These were some of the resolutions of the West African bloc after an extraordinary summit on the Niger Republic in Abuja, Nigeria on Thursday.

The extraordinary summit was a sequel to the one convened on the 30th of July following the ouster and detention of Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 by the military.

While reading the communiqué, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, said the Commission noted that all diplomatic efforts in resolving the crisis have been defiantly repelled by the military leadership of the Republic of Niger.

The Commission reiterated its strong condemnation of the “attempted coup d’état and the continued illegal detention of President Mohammed Bouzum, his family, and members of his government.”

It also resolved to uphold all measures and principles agreed upon by the extraordinary summit held in Niger on July 30th, 2023.

Even as the ECOWAS Commission underscored its determination to keep all options on the table for the peaceful resolution of the crisis, it directed the Committee of the Chiefs of Defence Staff to activate the ECOWAS standby force with all its elements immediately and ordered the deployment of the ECOWAS standby force to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.

While calling on the African Union to endorse all the decisions taken by the ECOWAS authority on the situation in Niger, the West African bloc warned member states whose actions are directly or indirectly hindering the peaceful resolution of the crisis in Niger about the consequences for their action before the community.

Also speaking after the summit, Nigeria’s President and Chairman of ECOWAS Authority, said no option is off the table including the use of force as the last resort in resolving the Niger Republic crisis.

“You will see from the communiqué of this extraordinary summit that no option is taken off the tables including the use of force as the last resort. If we don’t do it, no one else will do it for us. We remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting Niger towards peaceful and democratic stability in the country,” Tinubu said.

The Nigerian leader believes that while there will be challenges ahead, with collective resolve, ECOWAS will navigate all obstacles for lasting peace and prosperity in the Niger Republic and other member countries.

He commended leaders for their “unwavering commitment” to the sub-region and welfare of the African continent.

“The road ahead will undoubtedly have challenges but I firmly believe that with our collective resolve, we can navigate these obstacles and chart a part towards lasting peace and prosperity for Nigeriens and ECOWAS.

“I send my sincere gratitude to all of you for your dedication and valuable contributions during this extraordinary summit. Your unwavering commitment to ECOWAS and the welfare of our continent is highly commendable.

“I want to thank you for your positive remarks and recognition given to me and the government and the people of Nigeria. May our collective efforts pave the way for a brighter future for Nigeriens and all Africans,” he added.