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According to Africa Confidential (7/11) , seasoned investigative journalist Pierre Péan has put the cat among the pigeons yet again with a stream of sensational claims about President Ali Ben Bongo Ondimba and his family. The book, Nouvelles affaires africaines: mensonges et pillages au Gabon (New African affairs: lies and plundering in Gabon) , is the talk of Libreville and has predictably infuriated its target. Most galling to the presidency is Péan's argument, repeated endlessly before 2009's elections, that Ali is not Gabonese at all but a Biafran orphan adopted during Nigeria 's civil war by the late President Omar Bongo Ondimba . All national presidents must by law be born in Gabon. Péan claims that Ali Ben Bongo falsified documents, including his birth certificate and school records, to cover this up. The book also delves into the career of his Cabinet Director, Maixent Accrombessi , and makes claims about the businessmen said to have profited during his meteoric rise as the man who deals with oil and other important topics for the government. After initially greeting the book's release on October 29th with silence, the regime has now vehemently dismissed its claims. The children of Omar Bongo's predecessor, President Léon Mba , said they were at school in France with Ali Bongo before the Biafran war began. Péan also details arguments between Ali Bongo and his half‐sister Pascaline Mferri Bongo , who was for long Omar Bongo's Cabinet Director and reputedly managed the Bongo clan's business affairs. Out of the public eye since Ali Bongo's 2009 election victory, she suddenly surfaced to rebut Péan's charges. The banned opposition party Union nationale says the government has many charges to answer. (Africa Confidential 7/11)
Africa Research Bulletin Political Social and Cultural Series – Wiley
Published: Jan 1, 2014
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