The Central African regional bloc has suspended Gabon’s membership in response to last week’s coup that ousted President Ali Bongo.
The bloc, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), made the decision to suspend Gabon’s membership at a leadership summit held at neighbouring member state Equatorial Guinea on Monday.
The leader of the coup, General Brice Oligui Nguema, was sworn in as interim president earlier on Monday. He assumed control shortly after Ali Bongo’s third term as president was officially proclaimed.
The military officers, who staged the coup, announced Nguema as the country’s transitional leader a few days after Bongo was ousted and placed on arrest after he was announced the winner of the Gabon presidential election results.
The 12 military officers, members of the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI), made the announcement on national television and announced the cancellation of the elections on Wednesday.
Nguema was inaugurated as interim president on Monday, an event which was marked by a military parade and celebration from civilians.
According to local media sources, Nguema authorised the reopening of Gabon’s borders and held talks with political leaders about possible reforms and the likely length of the transitional period before being sworn in.
He has not specified when the Central African nation will be transferred back to civilian leadership.
The host of the meeting and Equatorial Guinea’s President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, said that neighboring state Gabon posed a threat to regional stability, security, and peace.
Obiang, who is currently 81 years old, has held the position since 1979.
His family, like Ali Bongo’s in Gabon, has been charged with widespread resource theft and severe opposition repression.
He is possibly not the only African leader who has stayed in power for ages and is a little jumpy at the word “coup”.
The African Union has equally suspended Gabon’s membership following Bongo’s coup.
Gabon’s suspension comes after Niger was recently suspended following a coup in the West African country in July, which ousted elected president Mohamed Bazoum
