Libreville, March 2025 — In a nation still healing from recent political upheaval, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Gabon’s transitional president, has broken his relative silence. In a composed and measured interview with France 24 and RFI, he officially confirmed his candidacy in the upcoming April 12 presidential election—while making one thing very clear:
“I want to be carried by the Gabonese people, not by a group or a clan.”
His words resonate in a country long dominated by a single political dynasty. Since taking power in August 2023, following the ousting of Ali Bongo Ondimba, Oligui Nguema has tried to position himself not as a strongman but as a transitional figure guided by reform and stability.
His candidacy announcement signals a shift from interim steward to potential long-term leader. But it also raises a delicate question: can one lead a true transition while also competing for power?
One of the central points of the interview was justice. Oligui Nguema reaffirmed his commitment to a fair trial for former first lady Sylvia Bongo and her son, Nourredin, both of whom face charges of large-scale embezzlement.
“The trial will be fair,” he said, emphasizing the need to rebuild public trust in Gabon’s judiciary, long seen as an instrument of power rather than justice.
On the international front, Oligui Nguema struck a diplomatic note. Despite initial tensions with France after the military takeover, he affirmed that relations are currently “very good”, signaling a desire for balanced, respectful engagement with former colonial powers while preserving national sovereignty.
Yet beneath the calm tone, the stakes are high. The Gabonese people, tired of opaque governance and decades of hereditary rule, expect real transformation. The transition must lead to more than elections. It must establish a more inclusive, transparent, and people-centered political system.
Oligui Nguema’s candidacy now places him in a complex position: both judge and participant of the new order he is helping shape. Will he be the leader who bridges the past and future? Or will he, too, be caught in the old logics of power?
For now, hope remains. And Gabon stands at a crossroads, with a leader who says he wants to walk with the people, not above them.
