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| Media predicts waning popularity for Gabonese opposition leader
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Libreville, Gabon (PANA) -
The loss of Paul Mba Abessole in the 17
December parliamentary elections in Gabon has led the local media to
speculate his political future as the only politician, formerly
considered the main challenger of president Omar Bongo Ondimba.
The media quoted observers of the Gabonese political scene as saying
that the Rally for Gabon (RPG) of Mba Abessole was gradually
breaking up while the two main opposition parties -- the Union of the
Gabonese People (UPG) and the Gabonese Union for Democracy and
Development (UGDD) -- made a breakthrough through the election of
several MPs in the 17 December parliamentary polls.
According to official sources confirmed by the Autonomous and
Standing National Electoral Commission (CENAP), the Rally for Gabon
(RPG-majority) so far considered as the country's second largest
political party, was undergoing what the press describes as
"political upheaval".
Mba Abessole, vice-Prime minister in charge of transport, is expected
pay a high price for his open confrontation for several months now
with the Gabonese Democratic Party (Ruling PDG).
On the eve of the parliamentary polls last Saturday, President Bongo
advised that "government members were not obliged run in the
parliamentary elections", adding, "their presence within the
government was not subordinated to an elective mandate".
The first partial official results of the parliamentary elections
confirm Tuesday the victory of Prime minister Jean Eyeghe Ndong,
according to his entourage, of the duel opposing him with the vice-
prime minister, RPG chairman, Paul Mba Abessole.
Paul Mba Abessole had identified himself as the man through whom
turn-taking in power in Gabon should take place, as early as the
adoption in 1990 of multipartyism in Gabon.
At the head of the National Rally of bûcherons (RNB), he had even
made the ruling government vacillate during the country's first
pluralistic presidential election in 1993... before finally joining
the camp of the majority after the 2001 parliamentary elections.
Since the beginning of the campaign, Paul Mba Abessole, who for the
occasion has got out again his opponent's beret, did not miss any
opportunity to launch a bitter attack on his adversary, Prime
minister Jean Eyeghe Ndong, "the candidate of a party which did
nothing for the country over the past sixteen years", he said.
Meanwhile, Eyeghe Ndong responds without hesitation to those who
criticise his decision to challenge his collaborator for a seat at
the assembly: "When a minister has an eye kept on a seat targeted by
his Prime minister, he must understand that it is up to him to go
elsewhere..."
But despite his caustic criticisms of the majority, Paul Mba Abessolé
still refuses to slam the door. "It is not because I am in
disagreement with all the members of his family that I must leave
it," he reasoned, as if to agree with the head of state.
Nevertheless, at the end of his nation-wide tour, President Bongo
affirmed that whatever the outcome of Sunday's poll, Eyeghe Ndong and
Paul Mba Abessole will remain in government.
This latest development on the Gabonese political scene made
observers such as sociologist Anaclet Bissiélo to say: "he (Paul Mba
Abessole) collaborated with the government an does not even receive a
bone to lick. Like the others, he was devoured by the system".
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| Libreville - 19/12/2006 |
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