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Gabon’s president accuses challenger of fraud, power grab

Gabon troops, left, stand guard outside the senate government building in Libreville, Gabon, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, The European Union observation mission in Gabon said Tuesday it noted an anomaly in voting results from the president's stronghold province that pushed him over the edge to win re-election by a slim margin. ( AP Photo)
Gabon troops, left, stand guard outside the senate government building in Libreville, Gabon, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, The European Union observation mission in Gabon said Tuesday it noted an anomaly in voting results from the president's stronghold province that pushed him over the edge to win re-election by a slim margin. ( AP Photo)

By Associated Press 1 min read

PARIS (AP) – Gabon’s President Ali Bongo Ondimba is accusing his chief opponent of ballot fraud and a plot to seize power, after Bongo narrowly won re-election in a contested vote that sparked deadly clashes.

Election commission results showed Bongo beat challenger Jean Ping in the oil-rich central African country’s Aug. 27 presidential vote by 1.57 percentage points. Opposition supporters have claimed fraud, and Ping declared himself the rightful winner.

Bongo lashed back on France’s Europe-1 radio Wednesday, saying “Ping committed fraud” in his home constituency and others with the help of “cyber-criminals.” Bongo did not elaborate on alleged ballot anomalies he said were found.

Ping, also speaking to Europe-1, dismissed the accusations and called for international help in determining “the truth.”

International pressure is growing for transparency in the vote results.