Gabon: Opposition leader in hiding
22.03.2006
Gabon's main opposition leader says he has gone into hiding after government forces raided his party's headquarters. Pierre Mamboundou told the BBC that he was not about to leave the country, but said he was also considering seeking political asylum. He finished second in last November's presidential election, which he claimed was fraudulent. President Omar Bongo, Africa's longest-serving head of state, won with 79.2% of the vote. Mr Mamboundou told the BBC's French service that police had seized documents and computers during the raid on the headquarters of his Gabonese People's Union (UPG) early on Tuesday (March 21) morning.