Gabon polls: Bongo panics as ex-AU chief guns for job

Analysts frear throwback of father’s dictatorial days

By Lukman Akintola

Gabon head of state, Ali Bongo is facing a tough challenge from former African Union Commission Chair, Jean Ping ahead of the fortcoming polls in the Central African oil-producing nation.

Among other thing, Bongo has presently rejected a call to go head-to-head in a TV debate with his main challenger, triggering a fierce row days ahead of the African country’s presidential election.

Seeking to end half a century of Bongo family rule, rival Jean Ping demanded a face-off rather than take part in a political show on public television, on the grounds its journalists were pro-Bongo.

Such TV debates are rare in Africa — and Ping also called for debate questions to be put by journalists chosen by the candidates and “representing press and media diversity.”

Going on the defensive, Bongo’s camp accused Ping, a former top African Union official, of a hidden agenda, saying he is afraid of taking questions over allegations of corruption by his son.

Gabonese public TV networks have repeatedly focused on reports that Ping’s son took commissions from a Chinese group bidding for public works contracts.

“We denounce Mr Ping’s contempt towards the republic’s institutions and journalists and the Gabonese people,” Communication Minister Alain-Claude Billie-By-Nze said in a statement.

Bongo took over as president in 2009 following the death of his father Omar Bongo, who ruled the former colony for 41 years. It is Africa’s fourth oil exporter and also exports tropical hardwoods.

Ping, who served as chair of the AU commission from 2008 to 2012, was previously foreign minister for almost a decade and considered close to Bongo’s father.

Meanwhile, some commentators are sugesting that the rather late rally by the Gabonese opposition, ahead of the polls may cost it votes. One such commentator is Oumar Ba, editor, Africa is not a Country.

Other commentators are worried that this may be a throwback to the dictatorial era of the older Bongo who singlehandedly dominated the political life of the nation until his death after 42 years in the saddle.

And in an indication of the fact that serving in the topmost office in the AU is now becoming a veritable stepping stone to running in national elections, feelers are that Madam Nkosazana Zuma, who moved to step down from office as AU chair in Kigali earler in the month is now the must-beat candidate amongst contenders to replace faltering South African President, Jacob Zuma.