Both Of Gabon’s Presidential Candidates Claim Victory

Well, this is awkward. Both the supporters of Gabon’s President Ali Bongo Ondimba and his chief rival, Jean Ping, declared victory after Saturday’s election. Win or lose, Ping’s entry into the race proved to be the most serious challenge to the Bongo family’s half-century rule. President Bongo first won election after his father Omar died in 2009 after serving 42 years as president, and hasn’t faced a serious contender since. He and Ping continue to exchange accusations of fraud in what has become an uncharacteristically bitter campaign in Gabon. Not even the interior ministry knows what to do next. They released a statement that acknowledged irregularities but offered little detail on who actually won and what they plan to do with all the claims of “massive fraud” being thrown around.