(MENAFN) Gabonese voters are once again heading to the polls for the decisive second round of legislative elections, following a tense first round held on Sept. 27. This marks the first national vote since the 2023 military coup that removed former President Ali Bongo from power.

The official campaign period for the runoff began on October 1 and concluded on Friday. About 900,000 voters were eligible to participate in the initial round, which saw President Brice Oligui Nguema’s Democratic Union of Builders (UDB) secure a commanding lead. Provisional results from the Interior Ministry reveal the UDB captured 55 of the 145 National Assembly seats.

The runoff, set for Saturday, focuses on 77 constituencies where no candidate achieved an outright majority, according to the national electoral commission. The battle largely pits the UDB against Ali Bongo’s Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), which managed to win only three seats in the first round.

Both parties aggressively courted undecided voters throughout the campaign, with political analysts expecting the UDB to build on its early momentum.

Addressing the recent outcomes, President Nguema stated, “double their efforts to guarantee the integrity and transparency of the next round,” calling for unified commitment to maintain a peaceful electoral atmosphere and prevent political unrest. Nguema secured the presidency earlier this year in April.

Interior Minister Hermann Immongault, also head of the National Commission for the Organization of Elections, affirmed that the initial voting phase occurred under fair conditions, despite reports of irregularities at certain polling stations. He appealed to election officials to remain vigilant, emphasizing the need for a “smooth, peaceful and exemplary election on Saturday.”

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