Gabon: Ruling party urges incumbent President Ali Bongo to seek re-election next year

The ruling party in Gabon, Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), called Saturday on the country’s leader Ali Bongo Ondimba to run for next year elections, for a third 7-year term.

“We have come not only to revitalize our party but also to seek Ali Bongo Ondimba’s candidacy for the future of our country”, said Prospere Abessolo Mengué, member of the Gabonese Democratic Party.

The secretary-general of the PDG, Steeve Nzegho Dieko, described Ondimba as the “natural candidate”. “For us, the distinguished comrade president is the natural candidate of our political party and we hope that by then the president will decide as soon as possible”, said Dieko.

The call came at the end of the party’s congress. Gabonese will elect a new President in 2023.

Ali Bongo Ondimba came to power in 2009 after the death of his father and PDG founder. He was re-elected in 2016 in very tense elections that the opposition claimed they had won.