Politics

After 43 years in power, 80-year-old Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang, to run for sixth term

Published

1 year ago

September 24, 2022

After ruling Equitorial Guinea with an iron fist for 43 years, 80-year-old President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, is to seek s sixth term in office in the presidential elections scheduled for November, his son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, who the country’s Vice President said in a post on Twitter on Saturday.

“Because of his charisma, his leadership and his political experience, the ruling party unanimously chose President Teodoro Obiang as its candidate for the November 20 poll,” Mangue.

Mangue, nicknamed “Teodorin”, had been touted to succeed his father last where when the President battled with a strange ailment and many expected he would contest the presidential election in November but with the announcement, it is now clear that his father not yet ready to relinquish power.

Obiang who is one of the longest ruling presidents in the world, has run a dictatorial regime where little or no opposition is allowed. In his five previous tenures, he has appointed members of his family into key positions including three of his children whom he made ministers.

His Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) currently holds 99 of the 100 seats in the Lower House of Parliament and all 70 of the Senate seats.

The PDGE was the country’s single legal political movement until 1991 even when multi-party politics were introduced while Obiang has never officially been re-elected with less than 93 per cent of the vote in previous elections.

Click to comment

Politics

EU agrees sanctions framework for actors linked to Sudan war— Sources

Published

14 hours ago

October 3, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

Sources close to developments in Sudan have revealed that European Union ambassadors on Monday agreed on a framework of sanctions against actors linked to the ongoing crisis in the country.

The proposal for sanctions was submitted in July, but it was not approved until Monday. Later this month, the EU’s foreign ministers will give their final approval before the bloc can begin adding people and organisations to the list.

The sanctions are likely to be in the form of asset seizures and travel bans, similar to measures already taken by the United States, Britain, Norway and Germany, who all plan to submit a motion to the United Nations Human Rights Council to set up an investigation into alleged atrocities in Sudan, including ethnically motivated killings, a draft motion showed on Friday.

Last week, The US continued its sanctions on persons of interest in the crisis as it imposed sanctions on two companies, including one based in Russia, and one person. The move is the latest in sanctions imposed by Washington following a conflict that erupted in mid-April between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over proposals for a political transition and the incorporation of the RSF into the military, four years after long-time ruler, Omar al-Bashir was overthrown in an uprising.

The United Kingdom has also penalised at least six commercial entities in relation to the conflict which has rendered more than 5 million people displaced and killed hundreds.

Politics

Tunisian opposition leader, Ghannouchi to begin hunger strike in prison

Published

4 days ago

September 30, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

Embattled Tunisian opposition leader, Rached Ghannouchi, who has been a political prisoner since April, has threatened to begin a hunger strike in captivity.

Ghannouchi’s party, Ennahda made the announcement in a statement on Friday, stating that the 82-year-old fierce critic of President Kais Saied, has now decided to stay without food.

Ghannouchi was convicted in absentia in May after his refusal to appear before judges on the grounds that the accusations were false and the prosecution was politically motivated.

Along with other jailed opposition figures, who accuse Saied of a coup for closing the elected parliament and implementing rule by decree, he is also accused of planning against state security.

Since coming into power, President Saied has been firm on dissenting voices in the country. More than 20 political personalities, including Ghannouchi, have been detained by the police this year on suspicion of attempting to undermine state security.