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Gabonese vote to elect new leader | |
(about 6 hours later) | |
Voters in Gabon have gone to the polls to elect a successor to President Omar Bongo, who died in June after leading his country for 41 years. | |
Favourite to succeed him is his son, Ali Ben Bongo, 50, candidate of the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG). | Favourite to succeed him is his son, Ali Ben Bongo, 50, candidate of the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG). |
He has promised to boost what he says is the prosperity that Gabon enjoyed during his father's years in power. | He has promised to boost what he says is the prosperity that Gabon enjoyed during his father's years in power. |
Mr Bongo's rivals include former government ministers Andre Mba Obame and Casimir Oye Mba. | Mr Bongo's rivals include former government ministers Andre Mba Obame and Casimir Oye Mba. |
They have denounced what they say is endemic corruption and favouritism in Gabon. | They have denounced what they say is endemic corruption and favouritism in Gabon. |
On Friday at least five out of 23 opposition candidates announced they were pulling out of the race and pledged their support for Mr Obame. | On Friday at least five out of 23 opposition candidates announced they were pulling out of the race and pledged their support for Mr Obame. |
Wealthy leader | Wealthy leader |
Omar Bongo was one of the world's richest men, with a string of properties in France. | Omar Bongo was one of the world's richest men, with a string of properties in France. |
He was an unflinching ally of France and a key element in French influence in Central Africa. | He was an unflinching ally of France and a key element in French influence in Central Africa. |
Andre Mba Obame promises a fairer distribution of natural resources | Andre Mba Obame promises a fairer distribution of natural resources |
BBC Africa analyst Martin Plaut says that Ali Ben Bongo is seen as less closely linked to the French elite than his father, despite being educated at the Sorbonne. | BBC Africa analyst Martin Plaut says that Ali Ben Bongo is seen as less closely linked to the French elite than his father, despite being educated at the Sorbonne. |
He is also somewhat detached from ordinary Gabonese, struggling to speak local languages with real fluency, our correspondent says. | He is also somewhat detached from ordinary Gabonese, struggling to speak local languages with real fluency, our correspondent says. |
Gabon is sub-Saharan Africa's fourth biggest oil producer and Africa's second biggest wood exporter, although most of its 1.4 million people live in poverty. | Gabon is sub-Saharan Africa's fourth biggest oil producer and Africa's second biggest wood exporter, although most of its 1.4 million people live in poverty. |
Voting, which began at 0700 (0600 GMT), will be monitored by observers from organisations including the African Union. Polls will close at 1800 (1700 GMT). |