Gunfire was heard by AFP journalists in the Gabonese capital, Libreville, during the announcement.
During the announcement of the annulment of the outcomes, one of the military personnel stated that the dissolution had occurred throughout all the establishments affiliated with the republic.
One of the soldiers expressed their intention to safeguard peace by terminating the existing administration during a televised interview on Gabon 24. The soldier further clarified that their statement was made on behalf of the "Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions."
In furtherance of this objective, the speaker additionally stated that the general elections scheduled for August 26, 2023, together with the incomplete outcomes, have been invalidated.
The speaker declared the dissolution of all the republic's institutions, including the government, the Senate, the National Assembly, and the Constitutional Court. Additionally, the closure of the country's borders was announced, with no specified duration.
Included in the composition of the military forces were those affiliated with the Republican Guard, alongside personnel from the conventional army and law enforcement authorities.
Furthermore, the aforementioned remark was disseminated through the medium of Gabon 1 public television.
Gunfire was reportedly heard by journalists from the Agence France-Presse (AFP) in multiple districts of Libreville during the delivery of the announcement.
The declaration was made shortly after the national election authority announced that Bongo, who has held the position for a duration of 14 years, emerged victorious in the Saturday election, securing a third term with a vote share of 64.27 percent.
According to the results, Albert Ondo Ossa, who is Bongo's primary competitor, got a mere 30.77 percent of the total votes.
Ondo Ossa publicly criticized the alleged fraudulent activities attributed to the Bongo campaign and declared his own triumph prior to the conclusion of the voting process.
On Monday, the campaign manager of Ondo Ossa, Mike Jocktane, urged Bongo to peacefully transfer power, emphasizing that a preliminary count indicated Ondo Ossa's significant lead, albeit without substantiating evidence.
According to Gabonese legislation, the dissemination of interim election outcomes is strictly prohibited until the final results are announced. Only the Gabonese Elections Centre, the official entity responsible for coordinating the electoral process, have the legal authority to disclose the conclusive results.
The official election results were disseminated via state television at 03:30 (02:30 GMT) without prior notification of the occurrence.
According to sources in Libreville, the government of Bongo implemented a curfew and a nationwide internet block prior to the closure of polls on Saturday. This measure was taken with the intention of curbing the dissemination of "false news" and mitigating the potential for violence.
