Thu Jan 23 17:41:26 IST 2025: ## Gabon Sets Presidential Election for April 2025, Coup Leader Nguema Expected to Run
**Libreville, Gabon** – Gabon will hold presidential elections on April 12, 2025, the Council of Ministers announced Wednesday. This announcement marks a significant step towards restoring constitutional rule following the military coup in August 2023, which ousted long-time President Ali Bongo Ondimba and his family.
Interim President Brice Oligui Nguema, who led the coup, is widely expected to contest the election. A newly passed law permits military officials to run for office, paving the way for Nguema’s candidacy despite his role in the overthrow of the Bongo regime. The coup, the eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020, ended the Bongo family’s 55-year rule over the oil-rich nation.
The election date follows a November referendum approving a new constitution, which limits presidential terms to two seven-year mandates and prohibits dynastic successions. While the move towards democratic elections is welcomed, concerns remain among some observers about the potential for the military government to manipulate the electoral process to maintain power. The Bongo regime, which oversaw decades of rule, faced accusations of widespread corruption and mismanagement. Ali Bongo’s victory in the August 2023 election, declared fraudulent by both the military and opposition, triggered the coup.
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