Jean Eyeghe Ndong

Infobox Prime Minister


name = Jean Eyeghe Ndong
caption =
order = Prime Minister of Gabon
president = Omar Bongo
deputy =
term_start = 20 January 2006
predecessor = Jean-François Ntoutoume Emane
birth_date = birth date and age|1946|02|12|df=y
birth_place =
party = PDG
spouse =
religion =
nationality = Gabonese

Jean Eyeghe Ndong (born February 12, 1946) has been the Prime Minister of Gabon since 20 January 2006. He is a member of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG). [http://web.archive.org/web/20060206210605/http://www.afriquecentrale.info/fr/news/news.asp?rubID=1&srubID=6&themeID=1&newsID=3605 "Nouveau locataire à la Primature"] , Afriquecentrale.info, January 20, 2006 fr icon.]

Eyeghe is a nephew of former president Léon M'ba. As a PDG candidate, he won a seat in the National Assembly of Gabon from the second arrondissement of Libreville, the capital, in the 1996 parliamentary election. He was then appointed as Secretary of State for Finances in the government and therefore did not sit in the National Assembly until 1999, when he was excluded from the government of Prime Minister Jean-François Ntoutoume Emane. [http://web.archive.org/web/20070412205503/http://www.gabonews.ga/Portrait.php "Jean Eyeghe Ndong, la premiere surprise reserve par Bongo Ondimba"] , Gabonews.ga, January 20, 2006 fr icon.]

Eyeghe ran as the PDG candidate for the first seat from the second arrondissement of Libreville in the 2001 parliamentary election, but was defeated by Paul M'ba Abessole of the National Rally of Woodcutters (RNB). In the 2002 local elections, he was elected as a municipal councilor, and he was subsequently elected as a Senator. He was appointed to Ntoutoume Emane's government as Deputy Minister in charge of Privatization under the Minister of Finance.

He succeeded Ntoutoume Emane as Prime Minister on January 20 2006, one day after President Omar Bongo was sworn in for another term. [ [http://english.people.com.cn/200601/21/eng20060121_237231.html Gabonese president appoints new prime minister"] , Xinhua, January 21, 2006.] He was also named Vice-President of the PDG in October 2006. [ [http://www.infosplusgabon.com/article.php3?id_article=726 "Gabon : Le Premier ministre nommé vice-président du PDG"] , Infosplusgabon.com, October 22, 2006 fr icon.]

Eyeghe and M'ba Abessole faced each other again in the December 2006 parliamentary election, this time with Eyeghe holding the position of Prime Minister and M'ba Abessole being a Deputy Prime Minister, and Eyeghe was victorious. [ [http://www.angolapress-angop.ao/noticia-e.asp?ID=495960 "Media predicts waning popularity for Gabonese opposition leader"] , AngolaPress, December 20, 2006.] Eyeghe submitted the resignation of his government to Bongo on January 19, 2007; it is constitutionally required that the government resign after the results of parliamentary elections are announced by the Constitutional Court. [ [http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_2057143,00.html "Gabon's government resigns"] , News24.com, January 19, 2007.] On January 24, Bongo asked Eyeghe to form a new government, and Eyeghe accepted; [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20070205205255/http://www.afriquecentrale.info/fr/news/news.asp?rubID=1&srubID=6&themeID=1&newsID=5528 "Ndong reprend du service"] , Afriquecentrale.info, January 25, 2007 fr icon.] the composition of the new government was announced on January 25, with few changes. [ [http://english.people.com.cn/200701/26/eng20070126_345187.html "Gabonese PM forms new gov't"] , Xinhua ("People's Daily Online"), January 26, 2007.] A new government under Eyeghe Ndong was named on December 28 2007, with its size reduced from 50 to 41 ministers. [ [http://www.gabonews.ga/actualite/actualites_2007.php?Article=1420 "Gabon: Premier ministre reconduit, Jean Eyéghé Ndong rend publique la liste du nouveau gouvernement gabonais de 41 membres"] , Gabonews.ga, December 28, 2007 fr icon.]

In the April 2008 local elections, he won in the second arrondissement of Libreville, again defeating M'ba Abessole. [http://www.jeuneafrique.com/fluxafp/fil_info.asp?reg_id=0&art_cle=45485 "Gabon: sans surprise, large victoire du parti d'Omar Bongo aux élections municipales"] , AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), May 4, 2008 fr icon.] A new 44-member government headed by Eyeghe Ndong was appointed on October 7, 2008. [ [http://www.afrik.com/article15388.html "Composition du nouveau gouvernement gabonais"] , Panapress (Afrik.com), October 8, 2008 fr icon.]

He has been married to Gisèle Eyeghé Ndong (née Biyoghé) since 1971, and has six children.

References