LIBREVILLE: The African Union has suspended Gabon’s membership one day following the military ousted the country’s President Ali Bongo, Western media reported on Thursday.
The development comes as General Brice Oligui Nguema is due to be sworn in as president of the country on Monday. Central Africa’s political alliance, of which Gabon is a member, also denounced the military coup in a statement and said it scheduled an “imminent” meeting of heads of state to ascertain how to reply.
African Union Suspends Gabon After Military Coup
Senior military officers in Gabon announced their coup shortly after an election body had declared that Bongo had won a third term in Saturday’s vote in the country. The military regime declared the elections null and void, dissolved the country’s institutions, and closed borders.
Later on, a video message emerged of Bongo held in his house, urging international allies for assistance. Gabon’s major opposition party thanked the military on Thursday for ending the Bongos’ long grip on the government in the country.
