Gabon’s new Prime Minister Emmanuel Ngondet has pledged to unveil his “inclusive government” at the weekend while criticising defeated presidential candidate Jean Ping for refusing to concede defeat.
“It is an inclusive government, largely open to the nation’s active movements ... the negotiations are ongoing to this end,” said Ngondet at a press conference a day after being nominated by recently re-elected President Ali Bongo.
Bongo’s wafer-thin victory in the August 27 vote sparked deadly unrest and opposition accusations of voter fraud in the oil-rich country.
The International Criminal Court in The Hague said yesterday that it has opened a “preliminary examination” of the post-poll violence to determine if there is enough evidence for a probe of possible crimes against humanity.
Bongo was installed for a second time as president on Tuesday, three days after the Constitutional Court dismissed Ping’s demand for a recount.
“The makeup of the new government will be made public on Sunday, October 2,” said Ngondet.
He also mocked Ping for refusing to concede defeat following the Constitutional Court’s ruling.
“He is leader of which party? Do you think that the only factor we take into account when we decide what to give to different political figures is whether they participated in the presidential campaign?” he said. “There are traditional political figures, we should consider these figures.”
Ping said on Wednesday that the appointment of a new prime minister and talk of an inclusive government “changes nothing” and that (Bongo) “must go”, according to his campaign manager John Nambo.
Ngondet, a former foreign minister, was appointed on Wednesday, replacing Daniel Ona Ondo.