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Europe

Gabon's president accuses challenger of fraud, power grab

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    Gabon troops, left, stand guard outside the senate government building in Libreville, Gabon, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, The European Union observation mission in Gabon said Tuesday it noted an anomaly in voting results from the president's stronghold province that pushed him over the edge to win re-election by a slim margin. ( AP Photo) (The Associated Press)

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    A supporter of Gabon president Ali Bongo Ondimba receives treatment at a hospital after being attacked by opposition supporters in Libreville, Gabon, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, The European Union observation mission in Gabon said Tuesday it noted an anomaly in voting results from the president's stronghold province that pushed him over the edge to win re-election by a slim margin.( AP Photo) (The Associated Press)

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    FILE - In this Thursday Sept. 1, 2016 file photo, Gabonese Police stand guard on a barricade following an election protest in Libreville, Gabon. Post election violence in Gabon has killed between 50 and 100 people, the opposition presidential candidate said Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, a toll much higher than the government's count of three in days of violent demonstrations against the president's re-election. ( AP Photo/Joel Bouopda, File) (The Associated Press)

PARIS – Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba is accusing his chief opponent of ballot fraud and a plot to seize power, after Bongo narrowly won re-election in a contested vote that sparked deadly clashes.

Election commission results showed Bongo beat challenger Jean Ping in the oil-rich central African country's Aug. 27 presidential vote by 1.57 percentage points. Opposition supporters have claimed fraud, and Ping declared himself the rightful winner.

Bongo lashed back on France's Europe-1 radio Wednesday, saying "Ping committed fraud" in his home constituency and others with the help of "cyber-criminals." Bongo did not elaborate on alleged ballot anomalies he said were found.

Ping, also speaking to Europe-1, dismissed the accusations and called for international help in determining "the truth."

International pressure is growing for transparency in the vote results.