Only 4 Out Of 23 Candidates Retained For The April 12, 2025 Presidential Election In Gabon

There may soon be no ruling party in Gabon, as the President of the Transitional Gov’t, General Oligui Nguema, is running as an independent candidate

The Electoral Commission for the April 12, 2025 Presidential Election in Gabon has retained only 4 out of the 23 candidates that deposited their files for the election, to effectively participate in the election. This means that the files of 19 candidates have been rejected.

The four candidates that have had the visa of the Electoral Commission to participate in the April 12 presidential election, of course include the President of the Committee for Transition and the Restoration of Institutions in Gabon, Brigadier General Brice, Clotaire Oligui Nguema. The three others are Alain Claude Bilie By – Nze (a former Prime Minister), Stephane Germain Iloko (a medical doctor), and Joseph Lapensee Essingone (of the finance sector).

One noticeable thing here is that all the old politicians in Gabon are out of the presidential race. There is a high suspicion in political circles in Gabon that the President of the Transitional Government, General Oligui Nguema, influenced the decision of the Electoral Commission to retain only the four candidates including himself for the presidential election, to enable him have an easy win. The other three candidates are considered as political lightweights. Also, the transitional government has so far rejected the call by the opposition in Gabon to postpone the presidential election to a later date, and is pushing ahead with the date of April 12, 2025.

General Oligue Nguema As An Independent Candidate

Meanwhile there are indications that Gabon may soon not have a ruling party, as General Oligui Nguema who is almost certain to win the April 12 presidential election, is not running on the ticket of any political party. He declared that his option is to be an independent candidate. He however announced that he will create a platform known as ‘Le Mouvement des Batisseurs’, that is, The Movement of Builders (nation builders),  that will bring onboard his supporters.

Meanwhile General Oligui Nguema who was earlier considered as friend of the opposition in Gabon, following the drastic measures that were being taken against the ruling party that he overthrew in the August 30, 2023 coup d’etat, has from all indications fallen out with the opposition that is now stepping up criticisms against him. This is due to his controversial decision to be a candidate in the presidential election. The opposition has been hammering on the fact that upon coming to power following the military takeover, the President of the transitional government, General Oligui Nguema, publicly promised that power will be handed back to a civilian rule.

But the opposition is now pointing out that General Oligui Nguema has not respected the promise he made to the Gabonese people, as he has declared his candidacy for the presidential election, supposed to be meant to return the country to a civilian rule, and that the military regime is doing everything to ensure that he wins.  Interesting enough, General Oligue Nguema who mostly used to appear in public occasions in his military attire, appeared in a civilian attire (a suit) at the occasion where he declared his candidacy for the April 12 presidential election. The opposition in Gabon is now making a mockery, questioning whether transition from military to civilian rule, simply means removing  the military uniform and putting  on a  civilian attire!