© PATRICK FORT/AFP
The Union Nationale party office in Libreville in 2012 (Illustrative image).
In Gabon, the main opposition leaders are gathered this Saturday, April 23, in Lambaréné, in the west of the country, for a day devoted to the ” work-study problem “. A day of debates, exchanges, analyses, on the initiative of parliamentarians and which will bring together a hundred deputies, senators, local elected officials. Thus, the opposition is therefore active to beat President Ali Bongo and the PDG party in the 2023 election.
« It’s a first that we are all three together. It’s already a march towards unity “says Paulette Missambo. The president of the National Union will be alongside Alexandre Barro Chambrier, president of the RPM, and Guy Nzouba Ndama, leader of the Democrats party during this unprecedented day, fifteen months before the presidential election.
For Jean Robert Goulongana, president of the group of parliamentarians of the opposition and deputy RPM, the meeting will serve to identify the obstacles preventing the alternation, to list the recommendations which will make it possible to release a common electoral strategy.
« We must not elude our weaknesses, in particular our lack of interaction and consultation “, Considers the chosen one.
Reform of the electoral code, observation and announcement of results, financing of the campaign or even revision of the electoral list… the demands of the opposition are not lacking and the summary will serve as a basis in the negotiation of reforms with the government.
For Paulette Missambo, “ the system is cut to benefit the power which would nevertheless have an interest in changing, in order to avoid a crisis like in 2016 where Gabon had recorded several dozen deaths.
According to Guy Nzouba Ndama, fifteen months before the elections, “we can succeed in reforming the system. When we are of good will we always find the time to negotiate, ”he said to the government.
In any case, the opposition will have to pool its efforts, to better train its electoral agents, its activists and avoid ” to be fooled “, concludes the former president of the National Assembly.