The army takeover in Gabon will merely result in a continuation of rule by the Bongo clan which has been in energy for 55 years, a supply near the deposed president has informed the BBC.
“Common Brice Oligui Nguema is a direct product of the Bongo clan,” stated the supply, who wished to stay nameless for safety causes.
He warned these celebrating the coup to not count on an excessive amount of to vary.
The army vowed to place an finish to the Bongo regime once they seized energy.
They introduced a army takeover shortly after President Ali Bongo had been declared the winner of a disputed election. He has been put beneath home arrest.
The army on Saturday stated the nation’s borders could be reopened after they had been closed following Wednesday’s coup.
Our supply’s feedback echo these of opposition chief Albert Ondo Ossa, who informed the Related Press that the coup was a “palace revolution”, engineered by the Bongo household to retain their energy.
The coalition backing Mr Ossa, Alternance 2023, which says it’s the rightful winner of final Saturday’s election, has urged the worldwide group to push for a return to civilian rule.
“We had been joyful that Ali Bongo was overthrown however… we hope that the worldwide group will rise up in favour of the republic and the democratic order in Gabon by asking the army to present again the ability to the civilians,” Mr Ossa’s spokesperson, Alexandra Pangha, informed the BBC.
She added that the plan for Gen Nguema to be sworn in as transitional president on Monday was “absurd”.
The coup has been condemned by the UN, its neighbours and France – its former colonial energy which had shut ties to the Bongo household.
Gabon has been suspended from the African Union.
In a televised deal with on Friday night, Gen Nguema stated the army would transfer “rapidly however absolutely” to revive civilian rule however didn’t give a timeline. He stated they might keep away from elections that “repeat the identical errors” by maintaining the identical individuals in energy.
Nevertheless, our supply stated that the brand new strongman, the pinnacle of the elite Republican Guard, was “a direct product of the Bongo clan. He’s the non secular son of Omar Bongo and has all the time been intently tied to the presidential household”, including that some consider he’s Ali Bongo’s cousin.
Omar Bongo was in energy for 41 years earlier than his son Ali succeeded him following his dying in 2009.
Ali Bongo’s subsequent election victories have all the time been marred by opposition claims of widespread fraud.
Our supply stated that the coup caught everybody unawares, regardless of rumours floating round Gen Nguema.
“It fully took our workforce unexpectedly however for the previous two years, there had been rumours alleging that if there was one man able to disrupting the hierarchy, it must be him. He has all the time performed an important function throughout the Bongo clan and has a pure however discrete authority.”
It’s stated that simply earlier than Omar Bongo’s dying in 2009, Gen Nguema promised him he would take care of his household. Nevertheless, when Ali Bongo took over, the army man was despatched away to function an attaché to the Gabonese embassies in Morocco and Senegal.
“Upon his return in 2019, Gen Nguema realised that the ability circle had prolonged past the shut family members and that the state management was slipping out of the grasp of the Bongo clan,” explains our supply. This was after Ali Bongo suffered a stroke which side-lined him for a 12 months and prompted requires him to step apart.
The coup has seen many individuals take to the streets of the Gabonese capital, Libreville, to have a good time however our supply says that is primarily as a result of “they wished to be free of the Bongo household identify”.
“However the actuality is that the coup could be very a lot a continuation of the identical system simply with a distinct identify.”
Shortly after the coup was introduced, a number of allies of the ousted president had been arrested, together with his 31-year-old son Noureddin Bongo Valentin, who has been accused of excessive treason and corruption. Nationwide TV has proven pictures of him and different shut Bongo allies in entrance of suitcases of money it stated had been seized from their houses. They haven’t commented on the allegations.
However our supply says that is largely for present.
“He needs to ship a powerful message to the inhabitants by arresting the president’s son.
“Everyone seems to be celebrating now however we should not neglect that the transition chief ate on the Bongo household’s desk for many years. He has plenty of expertise and was capable of carry again hope, however the Gabonese individuals should stay alert”.