Gabon: Electoral Body Set To Announce Results

Gabon’s electoral commission is expected to announce the winner of last Sunday's presidential poll on Wednesday.

A heavy military and police presence has been deployed in Libreville as the country awaits the results.

Early in the week, presidential frontrunners Ali Bongo, Pierre Mamboundou and Andre Mba Obame all claimed victory. The three have now appealed for calm ahead of the electoral commission announcement.

Political analysts say it is difficult to predict the winner of the tightly contested poll in which the Gabonese people are seeking to replace the long-serving president Omar Bongo, who died in June after four decades in power. [GR]