- A top Gabon's court has ruled that the vice president of the country oversee the government affairs following the illness of President Ali Bongo
- President Bongo is reportedly suffering from stroke, leading to speculation in the local media that he might have died
- Although the presidency has denied the death rumour, the decision of the court was expedient in order to prevent political crisis in the country
A top Gabonese court has ruled that Maganga Moussavou, the vice president of the country take over the cabinet in the absence of President Ali Bongo, who was admitted in a hospital in Saudi Arabia after suffering from what was reported to be stroke.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the decision which was announced by the constitutional court on Wednesday, November 14, was the first move in the history of the oil-producing country to fill the vacuum left by Bongo's absence.
Legit.ng gathers that Bongo had not been seen in public since his state of health was unknown, leading to speculations in the local media that he might have died.
READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda
In a statement released by the spokesperson to the the government, Ike Ngouoni, President Bongo was reported to be suffering from "severe fatigue" and he is "rather reassuring" at the Riyadh hospital.
The opposition group in the country, led by former president of the National Assembly, Nzouba Ndama, was said to have lost conviction in the statement, leading to concern across quarters on the state of government since there is no legal explanation for such situation in the Gabon's constitution.
Vice President, Maganga Moussavou, has been ordered to take over Gabon's government amidst President Bongo’s illness. Photo credit: UGC
Gabon’s prime minister, Emmanuel Issoze Ngondet, had earlier lamented: “Only the president has the power to chair the council of ministers.
‘Unfortunately he is temporarily unavailable for health reasons, and temporary unavailability is not addressed by the constitution."
However, the Gabon's court ruled that Ali Bongo's vice president take over the affairs of the government pending the return of the president.
The Bongo family has ruled the oil-producing country for nearly half a century.
Bongo himself has been president since succeeding his father, Omar, who died in 2009. His re-election in 2016 was marred by claims of fraud and violent protest.
PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the 61 year-old president of Rwanda, Paul Kagame was seen doing a jogging exercise around the city of Kigali, the country's capital without security operatives.
President Kigame, a former military leader who is reputed to have turned the economy of the country around, had served as minister of defence and vice president in Rwanda.
The East African leader had received global acclaim for returning Rwanda to normalcy decades after genocide claimed hundreds of lives between the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups.
PAY ATTENTION: NAIJ.com (naija.ng) upgrades to Legit.ng to serve its readers better
If you could choose your country of birth, what country would that be? | Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng