The Constitutional Court of Gabon has announced the dissolution of the Gabonese Center for Elections (CGE), the institution organized to organize the elections, due to the absence of internal renewal within the deadlines set by law.
The decision was taken following a petition filed by the opposition party Reappropriation of Gabon and its Independence for its Reconstruction (Reagir) confirming that the mandate of the CGE members expired two years ago.
Thus, it has stated that «the end of the mandate of the current committee of the CEM has been confirmed by the non-renewal of the same within the deadlines given by the Constitutional Court, as reported by the Gabonese state news agency, AGP.
The spokesman for Reagir, Etiénne Francky Meda Ondo, spoke of a «victory for the rule of law» and said that the party «hopes that the government will finally comply, because it has not done so quickly, with article 92 of the Constitution, which states that the decisions of the court are not subject to appeal».
«We are going to get active, together with our partners in the opposition, to see the modalities of participation in the renovation (of the electoral body) required by the court», he said in declarations granted to the French radio station Radio France Internationale.
The CEM committee, in place since 2018 for a two-year term, saw its mandate extended in June 2020 and October 2022, although the December deadline passed without renewal. The government now has 30 days to renew the body, which must organize the presidential, legislative and local elections scheduled for this year.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
