Gabon braces for court's ruling on disputed election
LIBREVILLE- Gabon braced for possible violence Friday as the Constitutional Court was set to rule on a disputed election that President Ali Bongo Ondimba won by less than 2 percent.
Opposition candidate Jean Ping has accused Bongo of fraud and filed a complaint with the court early this month. Both candidates have claimed victory in the Aug. 27 election.
European Union observers have said they found an anomaly in results from a Bongo stronghold, Haut-Ogooue province, where turnout was said to be 99.93 percent. Other provinces showed a 48 percent voter turnout on average, the EU said.
Ping's lawyer, Jean-Remy Bantsantsa, has said he has heard the court's ruling will go in Bongo's favor. "They will certainly whip up the necessary results and readjustments to declare Bongo elected," he said.
