Ali Bongo was sworn in on Tuesday as Gabon's president for a second seven-year term. His inauguration came after the Constitutional Court upheld his victory. The opposition maintains that they won the election.

"I pledge to devote all my efforts for the good of the Gabonese people and to ensure their well-being and to respect and defend the constitution and the rule of law," Bongo said amid jubilation from supporters. The 57-year-old narrowly won the August presidential elections with 50.66 percent of the vote, while his main challenger Jean Ping got 47.24 percent.

There was a 99 percent voter turn-out in Bongo's home area where more than 95 percent of the votes were in his favor. The Constitutional Court confirmed Bongo's victory, dismissing opposition claims of voter fraud.

Opposition leader Ping, who had called for a recount, described the court ruling as a "failure of justice," maintaining that he had won the election. Ping said that the Constitutional Court had denied Gabonese the right to elect their president.

"The Gabonese do not see their will in the result," he argued.

(DW)