07 Sep 2009
Gabon's defeated presidential candidates vow to challenge the election of Ali Bongo Ondimba, who succeeded his father -- late president Omar Bongo Ondimba.

Jean Eyeghe Ndong, acting as a spokesman for the coalition of 16 candidates, declared in a statement on Monday, "These results have no element of truth. They are all lies. This whole thing of an election was a farce which was imposed by police batons."

The opposition leaders demanded a recount, as they claim the vote count was interrupted by the president of the CENAP, the country's electoral commission.

Violence erupted in Gabon -- a former French colony -- when Bongo, 50, was declared the winner of the August 30 election.

The opposition candidates also charged that the unrest's death toll was "much higher" than the officially announced three deaths.

The opposition coalition includes former interior minister Andre Mba Obame, the runner-up, and Pierre Mamboundou, who finished third in the election.


pressv