Gabon’s main opposition candidate Jean Ping said Sunday he had won a presidential election, beating the incumbent Omar Bongo.

Official results of Saturday’s vote are due out on Tuesday.

“I have been elected. I am waiting for the outgoing president to call to congratulate me,” Ping told journalists and his supporters in the capital Libreville.

The central African country’s interior minister has repeatedly stated that only results released by the electoral commission and confirmed by his ministry are valid.

Both of the two frontrunners had already predicted their own victory and accused the other of cheating.

Shortly after polling ended on Saturday, the president’s spokesman said, “Bongo will win… we are already on our way to a second mandate.”

In his comments Sunday, Ping, 73 added, “as I speak, the trends show we have won.”

Ping said alleged attempts by Bongo’s camp to commit fraud had been foiled and that “we will finally see off the regime.”

Bongo, 57, has been in power since a disputed election held in 2009 after the death of his father, Omar Bongo, who had ruled the oil-rich Central African country for 41 years.

Earlier, Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet said official results would be released around 5:00 pm (1600 GMT) on Tuesday and that it was “illegal to release results ahead of the official announcement by the competent authorities.” </s> GABON opposition candidate Jean Ping called on President Ali Bongo on Monday to “acknowledge his defeat” in a weekend presidential election, telling reporters in the capital Libreville that unofficial tallies give him a clear edge.

Bongo’s camp said on Sunday that it was set to win the single-round contest and accused Ping’s supporters of fraud, charges that could presage confrontation between the two sides.

The Central African oil producer’s interior minister called Ping’s move to pre-empt an official announcement of the poll results, which is expected on Tuesday, by declaring victory an attempt to manipulate the democratic process.

“Based on nearly all the affidavits … we are able to affirm that I am the winner of the presidential vote,” Ping said. “I encourage Ali Bongo to submit to the verdict of the ballot box.”

He also called upon the Gabonese people to “defend their choice throughout the country and overseas”.

Ping said he had told the American and French ambassadors in Libreville that he intended to guarantee the security of Bongo and his family, who have ruled the nation of some two million people for nearly 50 years.

Bongo, 57, first won election after his father Omar died in 2009 after 42 years in office. Declining oil output and falling prices have resulted in budget cuts in recent years, however, providing fodder for opposition claims that average Gabonese have struggled under his leadership.-Reuters </s> Both sides in Gabon poll predict win as votes are counted

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Election officials compiled results in Gabon on Sunday as representatives of the incumbent president and his most prominent challenger predicted victory.

President Ali Bongo Ondimba is vying for a second seven-year term. Bongo became president after the death of his father, who ruled for more than 40 years.

His strongest challenger is Jean Ping, a former chair of the African Union Commission.

Bongo's spokesman Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze said late Saturday that the president was "en route to a second term." He also said fraud had been noted in some polling stations where opposition representatives were first to arrive, though he did not provide details.

However Ping's supporters said their candidate was clearly the winner and accused Bongo's team of trying to create instability. </s> Gabon opposition candidate calls on President Bongo to "acknowledge his defeat"

LIBREVILLE, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Gabon opposition candidate Jean Ping on Monday called on President Ali Bongo to "acknowledge his defeat" in a weekend presidential election, telling reporters in the capital Libreville that unofficial tallies give him a clear edge.

The Central African oil producer's interior minister called Ping's move to pre-empt an official announcement of the poll results, which is expected on Tuesday, by declaring victory on Sunday an attempt to manipulate the democratic process. (Reporting By Gerauds Wilfried Obangome; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Joe Bavier and Toby Chopra) </s> Gabon's top opposition candidate Jean Ping declared Friday that he was the rightful winner of the presidential election, accusing the country's incumbent leader of using fraud to cling to power.

The move sets the stage for a protracted dispute over the election, as President Ali Bongo Ondimba also has declared victory.

On Friday, Ping called for the release of results from individual polling stations. Results released by election officials showed Bongo won by a mere 1.57 percentage points.

"The whole world knows today who is the president of the Republic of Gabon. It's me, Jean Ping," he told reporters.

"Each time the Gabonese people have chosen their president, the dark forces are always gathered to place he who was not chosen as head of state. Together we have decided that this time things however will be different."

Bongo's father had ruled the oil-rich country since the 1960s until his death in 2009 when his son then came to power.

Ping's supporters already have taken to the streets in protest, and at least three people have been killed in the unrest. On Friday, Ping said citizens had "strongly demonstrated their legitimate anger."

The U.S. Embassy in Libreville said in a statement on its website Tuesday that Gabon's voters were not "well served by the many systemic flaws and irregularities that we witnessed," including the late opening of polling stations and "last minute changes to voting procedures." The embassy said the government should publish results by polling station.

European Union observers have criticized a "lack of transparency" on the part of institutions organizing the vote. </s> LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — The United Nations secretary-general is urging political stakeholders in Gabon to avoid making statements on the outcome of Saturday's presidential election until results are announced.

Opposition candidate Jean Ping has said early results show he will win in the oil-producing central African country.

Ping is trying to unseat President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who came to power in 2009 after the death of his father, longtime ruler Omar Bongo. The Bongo family dynasty stretches back to the 1960s.

Gabon's interior ministry said Sunday it is illegal to make a proclamation before the electoral commission announces results, which are expected Tuesday.

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon's statement on Monday says Gabon's elections were peaceful. Bongo's victory in 2009 sparked clashes between protesters and security forces. </s> Gabon’s main opposition candidate Jean Ping claimed Sunday he had been elected president, unseating Ali Bongo as leader of the oil-rich Central African country.

Official results are not due out until Tuesday and some voters voiced fears of a repeat of the violence seen after a disputed 2009 election.

“I have been elected. I am waiting for the outgoing president to call to congratulate me,” said Ping, 73, in the capital Libreville, prompting jubilation from hundreds of his supporters.

“You have foiled the congenital fraud of this regime which we are finally going to see off,” the veteran politician told them.

Bongo, 57, has been in power since the 2009 election held after the death of his father, Omar, who had ruled Gabon for 41 years.

Ping, like the current president, worked for many years in Omar Bongo’s administration.

Both frontrunners had already predicted victory and accused the other of cheating.

Shortly after polling ended on Saturday, the president’s spokesman said: “Bongo will win… we are already on our way to a second mandate.”

Bongo’s camp has acknowledged the election is “tight, but we are ahead”.

Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya has said official results would be released around 1600 GMT on Tuesday and stressed it was “illegal to declare results before the relevant authorities do.”

The head of the Pan-African Democracy Observatory, an NGO based in Togo, played down the significance of Ping’s declaration.

“We should not be surprised if one or the other declares victory. It’s all part of the game,” Djovi Gally told reporters.

Fearing a repeat of the violence that followed Bongo’s victory in 2009, many residents, who had stocked up on food, stayed indoors.

The streets of Libreville were deserted with even shops and stalls that are usually open on Sundays shuttered.

The French embassy warned its citizens not to travel within the country unless absolutely necessary for the time being and to keep themselves informed.

“There is no trouble in this district for now but we want to get the results soon,” said one citizen, who gave his name as Honore.

“We’ll see how the candidates react. I hope it won’t be like last time,” he added.

Back then, several people were killed in the clashes, buildings were looted and the French consulate in Port Gentil, which saw the worst of the violence, was torched.

Ping’s campaign coordinator, Jean Gaspard Ntoutoume Ayi, claimed that Bongo would attempt to retain power by force.

“Ali Bongo has decided to ignore the election and to stay in power. We know from reliable sources that the army is ready to be deployed in Libreville and Port Gentil and all across the country as early as tonight,” said Ayi.

“This is the situation which we are entering: the election is over, the coup d’etat has started.”

Bongo’s camp has dismissed such claims as “totally crazy.”

Emmanuel Edzang, a voter in Libreville, said the capital had the feeling of a “powder keg.”

“It could go off at any given moment if things don’t go well. There are really strong fears regarding people’s behaviour,” said Edzang.

Until shortly before polling day, Bongo was the clear favourite, with the opposition split by several prominent politicians vying for the top job.

But earlier this month, the main challengers pulled out and said they would all back Ping.

Both candidates have promised to break with the past.

Faced with repeated charges of nepotism, Bongo has long insisted he owes his presidency to merit and years of government service.

His extravagant campaign made much of the slogan “Let’s change together”, and of roads and hospitals built during his first term.

Ping described Bongo’s attempts to diversify the economy away from oil as window dressing.

One third of Gabon’s population lives in poverty, despite the country boasting one of Africa’s highest per capita incomes at $8,300 (7,400 euros) thanks to pumping 200,000 barrels of oil a day.

There has been growing popular unrest in recent months, with numerous public sector strikes and thousands of layoffs in the oil sector. </s> PARIS, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Gabon opposition leader Jean Ping said on Thursday the only solution to break the crisis in the country was for President Ali Bongo to step down and accept defeat in the disputed presidential election.

"The only solution is that Bongo recognises defeat, because he was beaten," Ping told France's BFM TV.

When asked whether he would contest the results through the constitutional court Ping said it was pointless.

"The constitutional court, like Gabon's electoral commission, is a tool of the governing authority. They do what they are told to do," he said. (Reporting By John Irish; Editing by Ingrid Melander) </s> Gabon opposition leader Jean Ping said on Thursday two people were killed and many wounded when the presidential guard and police attacked his party’s headquarters overnight after an election narrowly won by President Ali Bongo.

Ping called for international assistance to protect the population of the oil-producing state and said Saturday’s election was stolen by Bongo, who was declared the winner on Wednesday.

The result gives the president a further seven years in power in the country of 1.8 million people. Bongo took power in 2009 on the death of his father, who had ruled for 42 years.

Opposition supporters greeted the election result with anger. Demonstrators in the capital Libreville clashed with police and set part of the parliament building on fire.

Police also fired teargas in clashes with around 100 opposition supporters, according to a Reuters witness.

Spokesmen for the police and the presidential guard were not immediately available for comment.

“Everybody knows that I won the election,” Ping said in a telephone interview, adding that the electoral commission’s figures were based on false documents.

“The (Bongo) family are repeating same scenario for almost half a century. The opposition can win the elections but they have never had access to power… We need assistance from the rest of the world to protect the population of Gabon from a clan of mercenaries, a rogue state,” he said.

France, the United States and the European Union all urged calm and called upon Gabonese authorities to release the results of individual polling stations for greater transparency, while the United Nations also urged restraint.

Bongo won 49.80 percent of votes against 48.23 percent for Ping, on a turnout of 59.46 percent, according to results given region by region by Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya.

“This victory by such a tight score obliges … each of us to respect the verdict of the ballot box and our institutions,” Bongo said in the text of a victory speech distributed to reporters.

Ping, a political insider who has served as foreign minister and African Union Commission chairman, was a close ally of the late president and fathered two children with his daughter.

His avenue for contesting the result appeared uncertain. Elections in Africa are frequently disputed but it is unusual for results to be overturned.

Ping said he was not calling on his supporters to protest because they were already under so much pressure from authorities. He said he feared arms would be planted in his party headquarters and he could be arrested as a result.

There was no independent confirmation of events at the headquarters.

Voting was peaceful but the election followed a bitter campaign in which both sides traded accusations of fraud. Several Libreville residents said social media, including Facebook and Twitter, were not functioning.

An EU observer mission criticised a “lack of transparency” among institutions running the election and said Bongo had benefited from preferential access to money and the media.

Former colonial ruler France’s foreign ministry said the way in which the results were announced was a source of concern.

“We think it is necessary to publish the results of all the polling stations. The credibility of the election as well as Gabon’s international reputation are at stake,” it said.

The statement was echoed by the U.S. Department of State, which urged all sides to “temper their rhetoric and encourage their supporters to remain calm”. It also called upon Gabon’s security forces to exercise restraint.

A spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he called “on all political leaders to address their differences peacefully and to address any disputes they may have through existing constitutional and legal channels”.
Both President Ali Bongo Ondimba and his main challenger, former Foreign Minister Jean Ping, say they won yesterday's election for a seven-year term as president. Official results are expected Tuesday.