Ali Ben Bongo, son of Gabon’s ruler Omar Bongo was declared the winner of disputed presidential polls in Gabon.

[Laure Olga Gondjout, Communications Minister]:
“I'm satisfied and happy that we won. It's a victory for the Gabonese people. Ali Bongo Odimba has won. I salute his courage because at the beginning nothing would have suggested that he was going to win. He has had hurdles to pass, which he transformed into strengths, and today the figures are there for everyone to accept.”

However, some unrest was seen over the disputed result and soldiers clashed with opposition supporters in Libreville on Thursday (September 3).

French media reported looting and rioting in Port Gentil. One local resident said prisoners had been freed from a local jail and set fire to a petrol station.

The interior ministry announced that Ben Bongo scored nearly 42% of the vote, ahead of Andre Mba Obame and Pierre Mamboundou.

Ben Bongo’s rivals accuse him of rigging the results, and say they will protest against the outcome.

Security forces earlier used tear gas to disperse hundreds of opposition supporters who held an overnight sit-in on a square near the election commission in the capital Libreville.

[Opposition Supporter]:
"They started to shoot, to shoot with tear gas canisters at us. I never expected anything like this to happen. It came very suddenly. Just like that, they started to shoot at people and a bullet touched me on the head and I found myself on the ground.”

Analysts say Ben Bongo now faces the challenge of diversifying the economy to replace revenue from Gabon's dwindling oil reserves.