Deposed President Quits Gabon Politics, Demands Release Of Wife

Gabon’s ousted President Ali Bongo has announced he is retiring from politics, a year after he was ousted from power in a military coup.

“I would like to confirm my withdrawal from political life and the definitive rejection of any national ambition,” Mr Bongo said in a letter to the Gabonese people.

The 65-year-old also demanded the release of his wife and son, who are being held awaiting trial on corruption charges.

It is unclear whether his statement follows negotiations with military leaders, or whether he hopes that by quitting politics he will secure his family’s freedom.

In 2018, Mr Bongo suffered a stroke and his health has been a major concern for many ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

The military seized power in August last year, shortly after Bongo was declared the winner of an election that was contested by the opposition.

He has led the oil-rich country since 2009, when he succeeded his father who had been in power for more than 40 years. The family had strong ties to France, the former colonial power in Gabon.

The coup, led by General Brice Oligui Ngeuma, was greeted with celebration domestically but was condemned by regional and continental authorities, as well as by France.

A week after the military takeover, the deposed president was released from house arrest, but he remained in the capital, Libreville.

General Nguema has so far been conciliatory towards the deposed president, saying he is free to travel abroad.

But in his letter, Mr Bongo wrote that his freedom of movement remained restricted and that he was monitored daily.

“My visits depend on the permission of the army. Isolated from the outside world without communication, without news of my family,” he added.

He also called for an end to the “violence and torture” committed against his French-born wife Sylvia and son Noureddin, saying they should both be released.

His wife and son are in pre-trial detention on suspicion of embezzlement of government funds.

Ms Bongo is accused of money laundering, forgery and falsifying documents. She has not commented publicly on the allegations.

Her lawyer, Francois Zimeray, last year criticized her detention, calling it arbitrary and illegal.

Mr Bongo said both his wife and son were “helpless scapegoats” and that his decision to retire from active politics also applied to them.

Military authorities have not commented on Mr Bongo’s statement but have denied earlier claims that they tortured his relatives.

Mr Bongo and his family are accused of enriching themselves at the expense of the nation during their decades in power, a charge they deny.

Gabon is an oil-rich country, but according to the United Nations, a third of its 2.4 million inhabitants live below the poverty line.

While Bongo acknowledged the shortcomings of his presidency, he hoped the junta would end what he called “national suffering” and advocated national reconciliation.

“I realise that despite the achievements I have made under my mandate, too many Gabonese people are still suffering and I deeply regret this.”

General Nguema has promised that free and fair elections will be held that will lead to the formation of a new civilian government.

However, he has not yet publicly commented on whether he will run for the country’s highest office. polls planned for next year.

“I call on my country, its leaders and my fellow citizens to renounce revenge and write the next history in harmony and humanity,” added Mr Bongo, who vowed never to pose a threat or problem during the country’s transition.