New poll observers to help ensure fair vote in Gabon

Libreville (AFP) - Civil society groups in Gabon are planning to train thousands of observers to help ensure a fair vote at polls this year when President Ali Bongo seeks a second term.

A new "citizen's movement" known as Active Witnesses has been formed by several trade unions and civil society groups to help ensure transparency at the polls where Bongo may face at least three challengers.

Active Witnesses will train "almost 9,000 observers who will deploy to all the polling stations" and take steps to make voters aware of "the electoral stakes", the movement said in a statement.

Ali Bongo was elected for seven years in August 2009 after the death in office of his father Omar Bongo. He will run again for the Gabonese Democratic Party, a deeply entrenched force in the oil-producing nation of some 1.8 million people.

Part of the opposition claims Bongo has no right to stand again on the grounds that he was not born in Gabon, as required by the constitution, but was adopted by Omar Bongo during the Biafra war in Nigeria.

The president's office has denied such assertions.