LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) – Gabon’s president has narrowly won re-election, election officials said Wednesday, keeping alive a family dynasty in this oil-rich Central African country that reaches back to the 1960s.
President Ali Bongo Ondimba beat leading opposition candidate Jean Ping by just 1.57 percentage points, setting the stage for an almost certain opposition challenge. Both candidates had predicted a victory, and Ping’s supporters already have claimed fraud.
Security forces have fanned out across the capital. Bongo’s win in 2009 sparked looting and clashes between protesters and security forces. He came to power that year after the death of his father, longtime ruler Omar Bongo.
Wednesday’s election results came a day later than expected, prompting fears that the process had been tainted.
Bongo won with 49.8 percent of the vote, while Ping had 48.23 percent. Gabon does not have a runoff election system.