Paul M'ba Abessole

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Fr. Paul M'ba Abessole (born 1939) is a politician in Gabon. He opposed the rule of President Omar Bongo during the 1990s, but in more recent years he has participated in the government; as of January 2007 he is one of five deputy prime ministers.^[1] He heads the National Woodcutters' Rally (Rassemblement national des Bûcherons), and stood as a presidential candidate twice. He took second place, with 26.5% of the vote (behind Bongo, who won 51%), in the December 1993 presidential election; he subsequently took third place, with 13.16% of the vote, in the December 1998 presidential election.^[2] He has also been mayor of Libreville.

M'ba Abessole defeated Jean Eyeghe Ndong for a seat in parliament in the 2001 parliamentary election,^[3]but the two faced each other again in the December 2006 parliamentary election, this time with Eyeghe holding the position of prime minister, and M'ba Abessole was defeated. Bongo said that holding a ministerial position is not dependent on holding a parliamentary seat and that M'ba Abessole could remain a member of the government.^[4] In the new government, announced on January 25, 2007, M'ba Abessole remained deputy prime minister, but was placed in charge of human rights instead of transport, and was attached to the office of the president.^[5][1]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Gabon : composition du gouvernement Jean Eyeghé Ndong", Gabonews (bdpgabon.org), January 26, 2007.
2. ^ Elections in Gabon, African Elections Database.
3. ^ "Nouveau locataire à la Primature", Afriquecentrale.info, January 20, 2006 (French).
4. ^ "Media predicts waning popularity for Gabonese opposition leader", AngolaPress, December 20, 2006.
5. ^ "Gabon: formation d'un gouvernement quasiment inchangé après les législatives", AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), January 26, 2007 (French).