http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/09/opinion/the-disputed-vote-in-gabon.html 2016-09-08 17:02:07 The Disputed Vote in Gabon Allegations of a fraudulent election put Gabon’s stability at risk. === For nearly 42 years, Omar Bongo ruled Gabon, presiding over a system of patronage that funneled much of the country’s oil wealth to his family, his clan and his cronies, while leaving most Gabonese short of housing, education, hospitals and hope. When Mr. Bongo died in 2009, his son, Ali Bongo Ondimba, succeeded him, winning an election marred by allegations of fraud and followed by violence. Many Gabonese hoped a new presidential election held on Aug. 27 would be different. That hope has been dashed. After Calm has returned to Libreville, but the election result remains in dispute. While Mr. Bongo has been officially declared the winner, Mr. Ping has independently The United States, the European Union and France have called for a detailed recount. But Mr. Bongo’s spokesman, Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze, has rejected that idea, saying: “Recounting votes polling station by polling station is out of the question.” This only deepens suspicions of fraud and undermines Mr. Bongo’s claim to govern. That claim grew more fragile on Monday, when Gabon’s justice minister, Seraphim Moundounga, long a member of Mr. Bongo’s inner circle, resigned in protest over the election result. After his election in 2009, Ali Bongo promised to tackle corruption and increase opportunities for the many Gabonese who have seen little benefit from the country’s oil wealth — almost a third of the people live in poverty. And, if Mr. Bongo clings to power while avoiding transparency on the voters’ true intentions, he could put Gabon’s stability, and its future prosperity, at risk.