Gabon's military junta named General Brice Oligui Nguema as transition leader on Wednesday, following the apparent ouster of President Ali Bongo.
Nguema is from Gabon's southeasternmost province of Haut-Ogooue, which borders the Republic of Congo. Bongo is also from the same part of the country.He replaced Bongo's step-brother as head of Gabon's Republican Guard in October 2019. The elite force is in charge of protecting the president, his family and other high-profile figures.
In an interview with French newspaper Le Monde on Wednesday, Nguema said people in Gabon were frustrated with their government. He noted Bongo's ill health following a stroke in 2018 and said the president's run for a third term breached the constitution. "Everyone talks about this but no one takes responsibility," he said. "So the army decided to turn the page."
Reporting by Gerauds Wilfried Obangome in Libreville Additional reporting by Ingrid Melander in Paris and Anait Miridzhanian in Johannesburg Writing by Sofia Christensen Editing by Matthew Lewis
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