Coup In Gabon: Commonwealth Says Situation ‘Deeply Concerning’

The Commonwealth on Wednesday voiced fears about a military coup in Gabon, which joined the grouping last year, and said it was monitoring the situation closely.

Secretary general Patricia Scotland said the situation was “deeply concerning”, adding: “The Commonwealth Charter is clear that member states must uphold the rule of law and the principles of democracy at all times”.

VerseNews reports that this comes hours after a group of Gabonese military officers appeared on television announcing they were “putting an end to the current regime” and cancelling Ondimba’s election.

During the announcement, AFP journalists heard gunfire ring out in the Gabonese capital, Libreville.

While announcing the cancellation of the vote results, one of the officers said “all the institutions of the republic” had been dissolved.

The address was read by an officer flanked by a group of a dozen army colonels, members of the elite Republican Guard, regular soldiers and others.

It came moments after the national election authority said Bongo had won a third term in Saturday’s election with 64.27 percent of the vote.