Landslide win for Africa's longest serving president

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

LIBREVILLE--Omar Bongo, president of Gabon since 1967, has won a landslide victory at the polls, securing a further seven years at the helm of the small oil-producing nation.

Already Africa's longest serving president after 38 years in office, Bongo garnered almost 80 percent of the vote in Sunday's presidential ballot, according to official results announced on national television late Tuesday.

Bongo swept up 79.21 percent of votes cast, leaving his closest rival, Pierre Mamboundou, trailing with 13.57 percent.

"And so, Omar Ondimba Bongo has been re-elected," declared Interior Minister Clotaire-Christian Ivala.

Mamboundou and third place candidate, Zacharie Myboto, claimed massive fraud, but the 30-odd international observers who monitored the poll signed off broad approval.

"The vote passed off well, all in all," said Cheikh Gueye, a Senegalese election observer for the International Organisation for French-speaking countries (OIF). He noted however that polling stations in some regions opened late due to the delayed arrival of ballot boxes or officials.