The Idea That What Happened In Gabon Is An Overthrow Of Democracy Is Unacceptable To Me' -Odinkalu

Chidi Odinkalu, the former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, argued that Gabon did not have a functioning democracy before the recent military coup, dispelling the notion that what occurred in Gabon amounted to a democratic overthrow.

He pointed out in a video (Watch The Full Video) that Gabon had been under the control of Ali Bongo’s father, Obiang Nguema Bongo, from December 1967 until his passing on June 8, 2009. After his father’s demise, Ali Bongo assumed power and ruled for 14 years before being ousted by the military. Chidi Odinkalu emphasized that previous elections in Gabon had been marred by allegations of electoral fraud, which had kept Ali Bongo in power.

Furthermore, Chidi Odinkalu highlighted instances of violence, protests, and fatalities surrounding previous Gabonese elections. In the 2016 election, allegations of election fraud led to Ali Bongo’s declaration as the winner. Although Ali Bongo’s opponent sought to challenge the election results at the Gabonese Constitutional Court, it was revealed that the court’s chief justice had connections to Ali Bongo’s late father. The court upheld Ali Bongo’s victory in the early hours of the day.

Chidi Odinkalu’s contention was that the recent events in Gabon contradict the country’s claim to being a democracy.

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