Paul M'ba Abessole

Fr. Paul M'ba Abessole (born 1939) is a politician in Gabon. He opposed the rule of President Omar Bongo during the 1990s, but in more recent years he has participated in the government; currently he is a Deputy Prime Minister. He heads the National Woodcutters' Rally ("Rassemblement national des Bûcherons"), and stood as a presidential candidate twice. He took second place, with 26.5% of the vote (behind Bongo, who won 51%), in the December 1993 presidential election; he subsequently took third place, with 13.16% of the vote, in the December 1998 presidential election. [ [http://africanelections.tripod.com/ga.html Elections in Gabon] , African Elections Database.] He has also been mayor of Libreville. [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.]

M'ba Abessole defeated Jean Eyeghe Ndong for a seat in the National Assembly in the 2001 parliamentary election, [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.] and on January 27 2002 he was named Minister of State for Human Rights. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20040911224424/www.afrique-express.com/archive/CENTRALE/gabon/gabongvt/244gvtgabon27012002.htm "Le gouvernement du Gabon, remanié le 27 janvier 2002"] , "Afrique Express", N° 244, February 6, 2002 fr icon.] ["Jan 2002 - GABON", Keesing's Record of World Events, Volume 48, January, 2002 Gabon, Page 44541.] ["Gabon: Four opposition members join new government", Radio France Internationale, January 28, 2002.] He was subsequently promoted to the position of Deputy Prime Minister for Transport, Civil Aviation, and Human Rights. ["Sep 2004 - GABON", Keesing's Record of World Events, Volume 50, September, 2004 Gabon, Page 46191.] He and Eyeghe Ndong faced each other again in the December 2006 parliamentary election, this time with Eyeghe Ndong holding the position of Prime Minister, and M'ba Abessole was defeated. Bongo said that holding a ministerial position was not dependent on winning a parliamentary seat and that M'ba Abessole could remain a member of the government. [http://www.angolapress-angop.ao/noticia-e.asp?ID=495960 "Media predicts waning popularity for Gabonese opposition leader"] , AngolaPress, December 20, 2006.] In the new government, announced on January 25, 2007, M'ba Abessole was moved to the position of Deputy Prime Minister under the Presidency in charge of Recasting, Human Rights, the Coordination of Great Work and Revolving Festivals. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20070214105638/http://www.bdpgabon.org/content/view/4306/9/ "Gabon : composition du gouvernement Jean Eyeghé Ndong"] , Gabonews (bdpgabon.org), January 26, 2007.] [ [http://www.jeuneafrique.com/fluxafp/fil_info.asp?art_cle=34457 "Gabon: formation d'un gouvernement quasiment inchangé après les législatives"] , AFP ("Jeuneafrique.com"), January 26, 2007 fr icon.]

In a Senate by-election held on July 1 2007, M'ba Abessole was elected to the first seat from the second arrondissement of Libreville, which had been vacated by Eyeghe. M'ba Abessole was the only candidate for the seat and received the votes of all of the 20 voters in this indirect election. [ [http://fr.allafrica.com/stories/200707021189.html "Gabon: Paul Mba Abessole élu sénateur après avoir mordu la poussière aux législatives"] , Gabonews (allAfrica.com), July 2, 2007 fr icon.] In the government named on December 28 2007, he was moved to the position of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture, Arts, Community Education, Refoundation and Human Rights. [ [http://www.gabonews.ga/actualite/actualites_2007.php?Article=1421 "Gabon: La liste complète du nouveau gouvernement gabonais rendu public vendredi"] , Gabonews.ga, December 28, 2007 fr icon.]

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