With the election scheduled for April 12, only four candidates have been deemed eligible to run, raising concerns over the transparency of the selection process.

Brigadier General Brice Oligui Nguema, who seized power in a coup on the 30th of August 2023, is seeking to legitimise his rule through the upcoming polls. However, the mass rejection of candidates has sparked debates over fairness and inclusivity in the electoral process.

Independent Political Analyst Jean Donald Taladzi has dismissed the majority of the rejected candidates, referring to them as “nobodies.” He has also questioned the timing of their complaints, arguing that the electoral requirements were well-established and publicly available in advance.

“The requirements were published long ago. Some of the arguments presented by the rejected candidates include claims that their parents were born at a time when birth certificates were not issued, making it impossible to prove Gabonese nationality. However, these requirements were set by the people of Gabon, and no one contested them at the time,” Taladzi remarked.

--ChannelAfrica--