Six in bid to defeat Nguema in election
Equatorial Guinea’s President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema.
What you need to know:
Equatorial Guinea’s President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who is the candidate of the governing Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE), will face six others in the country’s presidential election on April 24.
Yaounde. Equatorial Guinea’s President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who is the candidate of the governing Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE), will face six others in the country’s presidential election on April 24.
“After the validation and proclamation of four candidates on March 30, the National Electoral Commission has validated three other candidates, giving a total of seven candidates to take part in the voting on April 24 in Equatorial Guinea,” the national television station announced.
Bonaventura Monsuy Asumu of the Social Democratic Coalition Party (PCSD), Carmelo Mba Bakale of the Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea (APGE), Avelino Mocache Mehenga of the Union of Law Center (UCD), and three independent candidates – Agustin Masoko Abegue, Benedicto Obiang Mangue and Tomas Mba Monabang – will be vying to replace incumbent Obiang Nguema. President Obiang Nguema is the longest servng leader in Africa, gaving assumed power in 1979.i
Reports say the president, who heads a coalition of ten parties, including the ruling Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE), is almost certain to win this election.
The main opposition party in the oil-rich nation will not take part in the election.
The Front of the Democratic Opposition (FOD), a coalition of the main opposition parties in Equatorial Guinea, called for a boycott of the presidential elections on March 23, arguing that all the conditions were set for a “fraud.” “The result is known in advance through multiple irregularities and fraud already prepared,” Andres Esono, secretary-general of the CPDS told AFP, adding that one opposition party with representation in Parliament and a senator have already warned that they would not recognise “the president from the election.” (NMG)
President Obiang Nguema is seeking another seven-year term at the age of 73. He was re-elected in 2009 with 95.37 per cent of the vote.
His regime is regularly criticised by human rights organiations for its repression of opponents, civil society and media organisations, as well as the level of corruption.His son, Teodorin, is the country’s vice-president.
Originally scheduled for November last year, the ballot was postponed to April 24 by a presidential decree that did not give an official explanation for the postponement.(NMG)
