opposition representatives suspend their participation

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In Gabon, the imbroglio continues regarding the Election Center (CGE), the commission responsible for organizing the elections in the country. Three members of the opposition have decided to suspend their participation. They claim to contest the fact that the Minister of the Interior took names from the lists provided by the opposition to choose representatives to the CGE.

With our correspondent in Libreville, Yves-Laurent Goma

In Gabon, the saga of setting up the office of the Gabonese Election Center (CGE) is far from over. While the Minister of the Interior led on Saturday, February 4 to the installation of the members of the two commissions to sit to examine the candidatures and to proceed to the vote of the president of the CGE, three representatives of the opposition, all sitting in this same commission , have decided to suspend their participation in the process. The ceremony was held without them.

We will do with those who are there”

This ceremony started two hours late. There were corridor negotiations between the Minister of the Interior, Lambert Noël Matha, and three representatives of the opposition, members of the Alternance 2023 platform. After an hour behind closed doors, the two parties did not found common ground. The three opponents have suspended their participation in the commissions.

► To read also: Gabon: the Minister of the Interior appoints the members of the opposition who will sit on the CGE

Lambert Noël Matha still installed the other members: “ Without being keen on mathematics, four from the opposition and four from the majority, that’s 8. And 5 [membres, Ndlr] out of 8. The majority is 4+1. We will do with those who are there. But I did not see in the attitude of those who left that the door was closed. She is ajar. »

The three opponents want the competent courts

In a statement, the three opponents – namely Pierre Claver Maganga Moussavou, Jean Valentin Leyama and Jean Gaspard Ntoutoume Ayi – say they dispute the minister’s choice to take names from the lists provided by the opposition. They announce to enter the competent courts as of Monday, February 6. It remains to be seen whether this referral will be able to block the process.

In 2018, the same minister had already drawn names from the lists sent by the opposition which had not found a consensus. This modus operandi had not been challenged in court.

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