Libreville, Gabon – April 13, 2025 — In a sweeping electoral victory that cements his grip on power, Brice Oligui Nguema, the transitional leader of Gabon and former coup leader, has emerged victorious in the country’s landmark presidential election, securing a commanding 90.35% of the national vote, according to provisional results released by the Ministry of the Interior.
The election, held on April 12, marked a pivotal moment in Gabon’s political trajectory, being the first national vote since the August 2023 military coup that ended over five decades of rule by the Bongo family. Oligui Nguema, who led the coup and initially vowed to return the nation to civilian leadership, entered the presidential race after formally stepping aside from his military role—a move widely viewed as strategic positioning for long-term leadership.
Casting his ballot at the Centre Urban Pilot School in Libreville, Oligui Nguema presented himself as a candidate of continuity and reform, campaigning on promises to stabilize the country and initiate institutional overhauls. His chief opponent, Alain-Claude Bilie Bie Nze, a former prime minister and vocal critic of the transitional process, managed to secure only 3.02% of the vote. The six remaining candidates received less than 1% each, failing to mount any substantial challenge.
Official figures show a voter turnout of 70.4%, out of the more than 920,000 registered voters, including approximately 28,000 citizens abroad. The high turnout was interpreted as a sign of public engagement in Gabon’s long-promised return to constitutional civilian rule.
The Gabonese Civil Society Organizations Observation Mission, which monitored the election, reported a broadly smooth process. According to their preliminary report, 94.8% of polling stations observed operated under satisfactory conditions, with 98.6% transparency in electoral procedures. Observers also noted a significant disparity in campaign representation, stating that Oligui Nguema had polling agents present at 69.6% of stations, compared to just 8.2% for Bilie Bie Nze.
Oligui Nguema, aged 50, previously served as the head of Gabon’s elite Republican Guard before orchestrating the 2023 coup that unseated President Ali Bongo Ondimba, citing mismanagement and democratic stagnation. Although initially perceived as a transitional figure, his overwhelming electoral victory now positions him for a full seven-year presidential term, which under Gabon’s revised constitution is renewable once.
The election has drawn attention both regionally and internationally, with observers seeing it as a test of Gabon’s democratic resilience after a turbulent political transition. While the results underscore the military-backed leader’s popularity or influence, questions remain over the fairness of the electoral process given the disproportionate access to state resources and limited visibility of opposition campaigns.
Nonetheless, for many Gabonese citizens, the vote represents a new chapter—either a consolidation of power by the former junta or the start of a long-promised political stabilization effort in a country that, despite its abundant oil wealth, continues to grapple with endemic poverty and governance challenges.
Whether Oligui Nguema will fulfill the promises made during his campaign or follow in the footsteps of long-serving predecessors remains to be seen, but his decisive victory signals a clear mandate—and potentially a new era in Gabonese politics.
