The recent appointment of the 27 year old son of President Alli Bongo Odimba is raising dusts across the country as some opposition politicians warn that this is a subtle way to prepare the youngman to take over from his ailing father. The President’s son, Noureddin Bongo Valentin, was last week appointed the general coordinator of Presidential Affairs a position which according to a statement from the Gabonese Presidency will be to assist the President of the Republic in the conduct of all State affairs. But opposition politicians and some members of the civil society organizations are having none of it, as they claim this was same way the President was propped up by his father, late President Omar Bongo to take over power.
It could be recalled that President Alli Bongo has been incapacitated for over a year due to stroke he suffered two years ago.
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The presidential spokesman, Jessye Ella Ekogha, said the president needed people he could trust to be close to him in order to effectively execute affairs of state hence the appointment. Ekogha said in defense of the appointment of Noureddine: “Why was Mr. Noureddine BONGO VALENTIN appointed to such a position? For two reasons. One, he has all the skills required. She added that Noureddin Bongo Valentin got the appointment basically because of his competence and experience than any other reason, noting that claims by some people that the President’s son was being propped up politically to take over from his ailing father who spent months abroad after suffering a stroke last year.
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She added that the youngman graduated from two of the most prestigious institutions in the world, the Eton College, the Institute of Oriental and African Studies, the London School of Economics in particular. And that he has solid professional experience – he was Director General of Olam Gabon, the largest private company in the country – and a perfect knowledge of public affairs and the functioning of the state.
The presidential spokesperson cited the example of the American president Donald Trump who has appointed his children in top government positions he believes they are competent enough to handle.
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“First, in Gabon, in the past, we have already experienced such a situation. Then, if we look elsewhere in the world, we see that it is a common thing. For example, the president of the world’s leading power, the United States, Donald Trump, has his main allies in daughter, Ivanka Trump, and her husband, Jared Kushner, both occupying important official positions in the White House.
Ali Bongo, weakened for a year after a stroke, had himself been promoted to prominence in the 2000s, then elected in 2009 after the death of his father Omar Bongo, at the time serving president for 42 years.
Th spokesman also dismissed talk of the general coordinator of presidential affairs being a new creature. He said it existed in the governance structure as far back as 2003 when Noureddine’s grandfather was president.
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry