Gabon: thousands reject the nomination of Ali Bongo

Thousands of Gabonese have made complaints to the country’s National Electoral Commission requesting the rejection of the candidacy of President, Ali Bongo Ondimba in the August presidential elections.

Some have alleged he is not a nationality of the country and therefore not eligible to contest for an election in accordance with Article 10 of the Constitution.

The country’s National Union had presented 1500 complaints against him while Movement for heritage and modernity tabled 1100 complaints.

According to the President of the Movement Alexandre Barro Chambrier, Ali Bongo had in 2009 tendered a false birth certificate.

He said they can’t afford to endorse a person of such character as head of state of the country.

Four candidates in the August 27 presidential elections have also demanded that the constitutional court rejects the candidature of President Ali Bongo on the ground of doubtful nationality.

“The Constitutional Court has an obligation to reject Ali Bongo’s candidature,” they said in a memorandum to the court’s president Marie Madeleine Mborantsuo.

According to the memorandum, the incumbent president “should give irrefutable evidence regarding the status of his nationality”.

Article 10 of Gabon ‘s constitution bars any Gabonese who acquired the country’s nationality from contesting for the presidency.

In the last few years, controversy has emerged over the incumbent president’s birth place, with critics saying he falsified his birth certificate to hide the fact that he was adopted from another country.