Ali Bongo refutes Oligui Nguema's claims, asserts dispute and challenges post-stroke governance narrative
via Gabon Review3 min read
Former President Ali Bongo Ondimba has broken his silence, responding to statements made by President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema on France 24. Through his spokesperson Ali Akbar Onanga Y’Obègue, Ali Bongo strongly disputes Oligui Nguema's assertion that there is "no problem" between them and challenges the minimization of his role in governing Gabon after his 2018 stroke. While President Oligui Nguema stated that Ali Bongo is free to return to Gabon and was invited to an inauguration, Ali Bongo rejected this overture. He countered Oligui Nguema's claim of no dispute, stating, "That is false, and he knows it." Ali Bongo cited accusations of torture against his wife, Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, and son, Noureddin Bongo Valentin, following the August 30, 2023 coup d'état. He claims to have provided evidence to French authorities and United Nations bodies and demands an independent investigation. Ali Bongo also directly addressed Oligui Nguema's suggestion that he was not truly in charge during the last five years of his presidency, arguing that Oligui Nguema's own strategic position as head of the Republican Guard during that period contradicts the narrative of an absent leader. He questioned who appointed Oligui Nguema to that role, implying that the current president's responsibilities under his administration undermine the claim that Ali Bongo lacked authority. The former president finds it inconsistent to be portrayed as a leader without authority while simultaneously validating
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