Opposition chief Jean Ping calls for calm

Gabon’s opposition leader Jean Ping says he has asked his people to “calm down,” as post-election violence claimed more lives and the government’s crackdown continued. Ping, however, who had already declared himself the winner of last week’s presidential election, insisted that the “truth will finally happen,” saying President Ali Bongo rigged the vote. “We will […]

Gabon’s opposition leader Jean Ping says he has asked his people to “calm down,” as post-election violence claimed more lives and the government’s crackdown continued.
Ping, however, who had already declared himself the winner of last week’s presidential election, insisted that the “truth will finally happen,” saying President Ali Bongo rigged the vote.
“We will access to power, whether he [Bongo] likes it or not. We are going to access to power,” Ping, a veteran diplomat and former top African Union official, said.
Ping called for a total recount under supervision of the UN and European Union.
Bongo, who has been president since 2009, was declared victorious on Wednesday by a razor-thin margin of just under 6,000 votes.