France calls on country to release vote count details

September 1, 2016 8:38 AM

Bongo won 49.80 percent of votes, compared with 48.23 percent for his main rival Jean Ping, with a turnout of 59.46 percent

A woman votes during the presidential election in Libreville, Gabon, August 27, 2016.

France on Thursday called on the Gabon government to release details of local vote tallies after the opposition said President Ali Bongo's election victory was rigged.

"The election result must be perfectly clear and transparent," French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said on RMC radio, adding that the election results should be published bureau by bureau.

Bongo won 49.80 percent of votes, compared with 48.23 percent for his main rival Jean Ping, with a turnout of 59.46 percent, according to results announced region by region by Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya.