Gabon coup leader, General Brice Oligui Nguema, has met with opposition candidate Albert Ondo Ossa as consultations continue in his bid to restructure the nation.
Ossa was the top Gabon opposition candidate of President Ali Bongo, who was ousted in a coup after the military seized control last week Wednesday.
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 military took control in Gabon shortly after the now-ousted President Ali Bongo was declared the winner of the presidential election, amid allegations of result manipulation.
These figures indicated a 30.77 per cent vote share for Gabon Opposition candidate Ossa, in contrast to Bongo’s 64.27 per cent.
Coup leader Nguema has been making the move as the military administration has been seeking the assistance of the opposition after he was inaugurated on Monday.
Ossa, leader of the opposition group, Alternance 2023, was absent from Nguema’s inauguration where he was installed as interim president on Monday, an event which was marked by a military parade and celebration from civilians.
The Gabon opposition candidate claimed he had won the invalidated elections and ought to have taken the oath of office.
There are indications that Gabon opposition parties may participate in the transitional administration owing to Ossa’s meeting with Nguema.
Ossa however stated that the discussion was mostly centred on transition and rebuilding of governmental institutions in the Central African State.
The Gabon opposition candidate has lauded the coup but advised that the votes be recounted and the winner installed President.
It is still unclear how long the interim leadership would last and Nguema’s restoration to civilian rule.
In the meantime, the junta has freed certain opposition campaigners and detainees, notably Jean Rémi Yama, a pro-democracy campaigner and the head of the most potent union confederation.
On Tuesday, the Central African regional bloc 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 at a leadership summit held at neighbouring member state Equatorial Guinea on Monday.
The African Union (AU) had earlier suspended immediately Gabon’s membership after the coup and issued its “strong condemnation of the military takeover of power in the Republic of Gabon, which deposed President Ali Bongo on 30 August 2023.”