Jean Ping – Gabon
The Gabonese opposition candidate and former African Union Commission Chairperson declared himself president in September 2016 when results from the August 27 vote handed victory to incumbent President Ali Bongo by less than 6,000 votes. Violence erupted across the country after the slim victory for Bongo, who was first elected in 2009 after the death of his father Omar, Gabon’s president for 42 years.
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Ping claimed that the election was a sham and asked for a recount. “I am the president,” he said at a news conference after being freed from his headquarters, which Gabonese security forces had earlier surrounded. “The whole world knows who is the president of the republic: it’s me, Jean Ping,” he said.
“Our country is moving toward chaos … Peace can only occur if the truth of the ballot box is restored and respected,” he added. But the government at the time refused any recount, saying that the country’s electoral law does not have such procedure. Over six people died following the violence that broke in Libreville following the election results. The parliament was even torched by protestors as a result.
