Latest takeover in central and west Africa underscores how the regions’ generals are becoming emboldened
Ciarán Murphy: Anyone who plays sports knows injury is a risk - but it still comes as a shock when it happens
“It’s almost impossible to undo a coup once it’s happened,” Khair said. “Former colonial powers like France, regional bodies like Ecowas or countries like Nigeria have been exposed as very weak in their efforts to push for anything to be undone.”The generals who seized power early on Wednesday went on Gabonese television to annul the election result, dissolve state institutions and assert that the oil-rich country was “finally on the road to happiness”.
Crowds took to the streets of Libreville, the Gabonese capital, on Wednesday to celebrate the demise of what was in effect a 56-year family dynasty. Despite France’s condemnation of the coup, Bongo’s lack of popular support suggested there would be little appetite – internally or externally – to restore him to power, Odinkalu said.
Wednesday’s coup came just hours after Gabon’s electoral commission had declared that Bongo won a third term with 64.27 per cent of the vote, a supposed improvement on last time when he had been declared the winner with just 49.8 per cent. Nguema was later on Wednesday installed at the helm of Gabon’s new military regime. Video images taken in the capital Libreville purported to show soldiers holding him aloft and proclaiming him “president”.
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