Gabon opposition leader takes vote complaint to court

Gabon opposition leader Jean Ping today lodged a complaint with the country's Constitutional Court contesting the official results of last month's presidential election, won by incumbent Ali Bongo, his campaign team said.
"Jean Ping has a petition with the Constitutional Court requesting a review... Of the results of the August 27, 2016, presidential election in Haut-Ogooue province," Bongo's family fiefdom.
One of Ping's legal team, Jean-Remy Batsantsa, said the appeal was for a "recount of votes in this province, polling station by polling station, through comparison of records held by the Cenap (the national electoral commission) and all parties.
"We are asking for the Court to determine that there are serious anomalies" in a count which saw Bongo declared the winner by a whisker, said Batsantsa, echoing a finding by EU observer head Maryia Gabriel.

Batsantsa added that a compilation of returns from Haut-Oogoue made it clear that "there is no way that Ali Bongo can win this election."
Bongo himself has said he will contest a number of results attributed to his rival.

Ping believes Bongo has the court in his pocket and is out to overturn an August 31 announcement that the incumbent triumphed by fewer than 6,000 votes -- a finding that prompted several days of riots amid opposition claims the election had been stolen.
During the unrest, the parliament building was set ablaze, many shops were looted and life in the capital brought to a standstill.

Citing Gabon's constitution and election laws, Bongo had earlier dismissed Ping's demand that a recount take place before any legal challenge.
"If we go to the constitutional court, we will enter a trap we can never escape," a close associate of Ping said late yesterday.
"The dice are loaded at the court," he said, comparing the institution to "the Tower of Pisa that always leans the same way."
But he conceded the wisdom of keeping the fight within the law.