Gabon: more and more opposition cadres join the ruling party
President Ali Bongo has the birthday of his party, the PDG, in Libreville, March 12, 2022. © STEEVE JORDAN/AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
In Gabon, opposition executives regularly join the ranks of the PDG, the ruling party, to the point that some even speak of a hemorrhage.
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The last to join the ruling party was the general secretary of the Democrats party, one of the main opposition forces.
On Friday, Vincent Ella Menié said he was leaving his movement for "
personal convenience
".
The movement is not the only one.
Almost all opposition parties have seen departures, something to wonder about before the 2023 elections.
“Hungry belly has no ear.
It is with this adage that Guy Nzouba Ndama describes the departure of certain executives.
For the leader of the Democrats party, power has a strategy to poach opponents.
Departures which, according to him, would be negotiated against money or positions.
His former allies, Jean Norbert Diramba and Jean Pierre Doukaga Kassa, for example, became ministers.
According to Guy Nzouba Ndama, the CEO would ensure in particular that opponents working in the public service do not obtain any advancement.
"
Power starves them and then dangles them with functions
", indicates the former president of the Assembly, who considers this strategy ineffective.
According to him, those who leave lose credibility and the CEO risks internal tensions with former adversaries suddenly obtaining high positions.
“
The power seems to be more interested in our militants than in its own
”, reacts for his part Pierre Claver Maganga Moussavou.
The president of the PSD has also lost several elected officials.
For the former vice-president, the CEO is targeting “
those who are financially fragile.
The power stops construction sites for lack of money, but does not hesitate to spend to attract our members
”, he says.
Read also: Gabon: the opposition gathers in Lambaréné for the elections in 2023
On the power side, we deny any strategy.
"
We let people come in conscience
", indicates the spokesperson for the CEO who sweeps away suspicions of corruption.
“
These are accusations without evidence.
Opponents are looking for a scapegoat to justify their disintegration
,” says David Ella Mintsa.
As for appointments to positions, David Ella Mintsa believes that we are “
not in a sharing of cake.
The president is open.
These opponents have the right to participate in development
,” he said.
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