Gabon’s coup leader Oligui Nguema elected president with 90% of votes cast, provisional results show

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Gen. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Gabon’s interim president who staged a 2023 coup that ended a decadeslong political dynasty, has been elected president, according to provisional results announced by the country’s interior ministry.

Oligui Nguema, 50, recorded a landslide victory with 90.35% of votes cast, defeating seven other candidates, including immediate past Prime Minister Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze. He came in a distant second with 3% of votes cast, Interior Minister Hermann Immongault said as he announced the provisional results.

The Interior Ministry announced a turnout of 87.21% in the election in which some 920,000 voters, including over 28,000 overseas, were registered to participate across more than 3,000 polling stations.

It’s Gabon’s first election since the 2023 military coup that ended a political dynasty that lasted over 50 years. It was seen as a crucial election for the central African nation’s 2.3 million people, a third of whom live in poverty despite its vast oil wealth.

Bilie-By-Nze recently told The Associated Press that Oligui Nguema took advantage of state resources to support his campaign. The government denies this.

Local observers deemed the conduct of the election satisfactory in nearly all the polling stations monitored.

At least 94.8% of the polling stations observed operated under satisfactory conditions, while the transparency of operations was deemed satisfactory in 98.6% of cases, the Gabonese Civil Society Organizations Observation Mission said late Saturday.

Oligui Nguema, who has been serving as interim president, had his representatives present in 69.6% of the polling stations observed while Bilie-By-Nze's representation stood at just 8.2%, the observers said.

Oligui Nguema, the former head of the country's Republican Guard, toppled President Ali Bongo Ondimba nearly two years ago. He hopes to consolidate his grip on power for a seven-year term in office.

After casting his ballot on Saturday in the capital, Libreville, the interim president said he felt proud of the citizens seeking to "turn the page to join the new Republic.”

In a video message shared after he voted in the north of the country, Bilie-By-Nze said he was concerned that unused voting cards could be used for potential electoral fraud.

Voters who spoke to the AP were divided on how the military has performed since taking over power in 2023, with most saying they have failed in their promises.

“I’m telling you that for me, the military has failed,” said Antoine Nkili, a 27-year-old unemployed man with a master’s degree in law. “They promised to reform the institutions, but they haven’t. Instead, they’ve enriched themselves.”

——

Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria.

Voters display their voting cards outside a polling station during the presidential elections, in Liberville, Gabon, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Betines Makosso)

Voters queue to cast their votes for the presidential elections outside a polling station, in Liberville, Gabon, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Betines Makosso)

Voters queue to cast their votes for the presidential elections outside a polling station, in Liberville, Gabon, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Betines Makosso)

Voters queue to cast their votes for the presidential elections outside a polling station, in Liberville, Gabon, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Betines Makosso)

Ballots for presidential candidates are placed on a table inside a polling station, in Liberville, Gabon, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Betines Makosso)

Voters queue up outside a polling station to cast their votes for the presidential elections in Liberville, Gabon, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Betines Makosso)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Phillip Danault scored his second goal with 42 seconds to play, and the Los Angeles Kings blew a four-goal lead before rallying for a 6-5 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in the opener of the clubs' fourth consecutive first-round playoff series Monday night.

The Kings led 5-3 in the final minutes before Zach Hyman and Connor McDavid tied it with an extra attacker. Los Angeles improbably responded, with Danault skating up the middle and chunking a fluttering shot home while a leaping Warren Foegele screened goalie Stuart Skinner.

Andrei Kuzmenko had a goal and two assists in his Stanley Cup playoff debut, and Adrian Kempe added another goal and two assists for the second-seeded Kings, who lost those last three series against Edmonton. Los Angeles became the fourth team in Stanley Cup playoffs history to win in regulation despite blowing a four-goal lead.

Quinton Byfield, Phillip Danault and Kevin Fiala also scored, and Darcy Kuemper made 20 saves in his first playoff start since raising the Cup with Colorado in 2022.

Los Angeles has home-ice advantage this spring for the first time in its tetralogy with Edmonton, and the Kings surged to a 4-0 lead late in the second period in the arena where they had the NHL's best home record. That's when the Oilers woke up and made it a memorable night: Leon Draisaitl, Mattias Janmark and Corey Perry scored before Hyman scored with 2:04 left and McDavid scored an exceptional tying goal with 1:28 remaining.

McDavid had a goal and three assists for the Oilers, who reached Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last season. Skinner stopped 24 shots.

Game 2 is Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

Until Edmonton's late rally, Kuzmenko was the star. Los Angeles went 0 for 12 on the power play against Edmonton last spring, but the 29-year-old Russian — who has energized the Kings since arriving last month — scored during a man advantage just 2:49 in.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe, left, scores on Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Members of the Los Angeles Kings, right, celebrate a goal by left wing Andrei Kuzmenko as Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner stands in goal during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Kings center Phillip Danault celebrates his goal during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers, Monday, April 21, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Kings left wing Kevin Fiala celebrates his goal during the third period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers, Monday, April 21, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Kings center Alex Turcotte, left, and Edmonton Oilers left wing Viktor Arvidsson vie for the puck during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, left, and Edmonton Oilers left wing Zach Hyman scuffle in front of the goal during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)