The opposition party, Ensemble pour le Gabon (EPG), has filed a petition with the Constitutional Court, contesting the legal framework governing the candidacy deadline for the upcoming legislative and local elections.
On Tuesday, the EPG formally challenged Article 2 of Decree No. 0296/PR/MSIDD, dated July 11, 2025, which sets August 7 as the final date for submitting candidacies.
In a public statement released in Libreville, the party, led by former Prime Minister Alain Claude Bilie By Nze, denounced what it called a “clear legal inconsistency”, citing the overlap between the candidacy
deadline and the ongoing revision of the electoral rolls, scheduled from July 14 to August 12, 2025.
“The candidacy period will close while the voter registry is still being updated,” EPG argued in its submission, warning that this jeopardizes the eligibility rights of numerous citizens, particularly first-time voters, new registrants, and displaced individuals.
EPG emphasized that voter registration status is a legal prerequisite for any candidate, and has called on the Constitutional Court to declare the contested article unconstitutional.
The party also urged the government to revise the electoral timeline to ensure a process that respects legal standards and democratic principles.
The petition comes just hours before the contested filing deadline is set to expire.
AC/sf/lb/gik/APA
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