Gabon

Ruling party puts off naming presidential candidate

Article published on the 2009-07-08 Latest update 2009-07-10 07:41 TU

Ali Ben Bongo at his father's funeral in June
(Photo : AFP)

Gabon's ruling Democratic Party has put off nominating its candidate for the presidential election whis is set to replace Omar Bongo Ondimba who died last month after ruling the country for 41 years.

Despite expectation that the candidate would be announced Wednesday, as a three-week mourning period for Bongo ended, the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) told the public it would have to wait.

As many as tren candidates are seeking the party's endorsement to run for President.

They include Bongo's son, current Defence Minister Ali Ben Bongo and Prime Minister Jean Eyeghe Ndong, who is married to Bongo's daughter.

The election is supposed to be held 45 days after the end of the previous presidency but on Monday, the government asked the Constitutional Court to put it off. It argued that  a delay was "inevitable" to allow for the revision of electoral registars and the setting up of a new national autonomous and permanent electoral commission.

The country's interim President Rose Francine Rogombeis is under pressure from inside and outside the country to ensure a smooth democratic transitional process in Gabon after 41 years of quasi-one-party rule.