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Gabonese vote to elect new leader Counting begins in Gabon election
(about 10 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. Counting has begun in Gabon, following an election to choose a successor to President Omar Bongo, who died after 41 years in power.
Favourite to succeed him is his son, Ali Ben Bongo, 50, candidate of the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG). Scheduled polling closed at 1700GMT but some stations continued to accept votes after that as they had opened late.
He has promised to boost what he says is the prosperity that Gabon enjoyed during his father's years in power. Turnout was said to be be high with long queues at some polling stations.
Mr Bongo's rivals include former government ministers Andre Mba Obame and Casimir Oye Mba. President Bongo's son, Ali Ben Bongo, is favourite to succeed but the poll has been marred by the pullout of a number of candidates.
They have denounced what they say is endemic corruption and favouritism in Gabon. Five of the 23 withdrew on Friday and another, Cassimir Oye Mba, pulled out on polling day.
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. He said he did not want to vindicate a "calamitous electoral process which doesn't look like being clean and credible".
Wealthy leader He was one of the major rivals, along with Andre Mba Obame.
Observers
In the capital, Libreville, the atmosphere was described as tense throughout the day.
Ali Ben Bongo hopes to win over a divided opposition
One voter in the Louis district, Tony Rapariga, told AFP: "If Ali wins, we will burn everything. You will not find even 10 of his supporters here. It's impossible for him to win."
The results of early counting are expected within hours but the full tally is not due for a few days.
There have been more than 300 observers overseeing the vote.
Ali Ben Bongo has promised to boost what he says is the prosperity that Gabon enjoyed during his father's years in power.
But his rivals say there has been endemic corruption and favouritism in Gabon.
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
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).