Ukeme Eyibio's Blogosphere

Jean Ping, chief rival to Gabonese President Ali Bongo, said the presidential guard bombed his party’s headquarters and killed two people on Thursday, according to a report by BBC Africa. A government spokesman who confirmed the bombing to BBC said that it was done to fish out the protesters who set fire to the parliament. “The presidential guard plus some mercenaries and the police, after 1 a.m., bombed my headquarters,” Mr. Ping said. “They destroyed everything, and we have now two deaths and several people wounded.” Protests erupted in Libreville, the capital city, on Wednesday after Mr. Bongo was declared winner amid accusations of rigging. According to the electoral commission, Mr. Bongo defeated his rival with 49.8 percent of the vote to his rival’s 48.23 percent. Mr. Ping, who had declared himself winner on Sunday, has demanded a recount. “Everybody knows that I won the election,” Mr. Ping told Reuters. “The [Bongo] family are repeating the same scenario for almost half a c

In the aftermath of Gabonese President Ali Bongo’s election, aggrieved protesters reportedly set fire to the parliament on Wednesday. Citizen reports on social media and images began emerging online showing the country's parliament engulfed in flames a little more than an hour ago. The fire has since been confirmed by international news agencies with correspondents in Gabon. Akwasi Sarpong, a reporter for BBC Africa, reported that the Gabonese military in the capital city has "withdrawn from the precincts of Gabon's parliament which was set ablaze by protesters." Protests erupted after Mr. Bongo was declared the winner over his chief rival, Jean Ping.  According to the official results released on Wednesday, the incumbent won 49.8 percent of the vote to Mr. Ping’s 48.23. Mr. Ping had declared himself the winner of the election on Sunday and has continued to insist that the election has been rigged.