GABON’s President Ali Bongo Ondimba has announced that he will seek a third term in office in presidential elections planned for August.
The Bongo family has already ruled Gabon for 55 years.
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Ali Bongo took over in 2009 from his father Omar Bongo, who had himself been in power for more than 40 years.
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The last elections held in 2016 were marred by claims of fraud. Mr Bongo defeated opposition candidate Jean Ping by less than 6,000 votes.
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Mr Ping declared himself the winner and contested those results.
His passport was later confiscated and he was only allowed to leave the country this year after a five-year travel ban.
