A dozen Gabonese soldiers appeared on television on Wednesday, declaring that they were "putting an end to the current regime" and calling off an election that President Ali Bongo Ondimba had won, according to official results.

AFP correspondents heard gunshots during the announcement in Gabon's capital, Libreville.

While announcing the cancellation of the results one of the soldiers said “all the institutions of the republic” had been dissolved.

"We have decided to defend peace by bringing the current regime to an end," one of the soldiers declared on Gabonese television channel Gabon 24, adding that he was speaking on behalf of the "Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions."

"As a result, the general elections on August 26, 2023, and the truncated results," he continued.

"All republican institutions have been dissolved: the government, the Senate, the National Assembly, and the Constitutional Court," he continued, before declaring the country's borders closed "until further notice."

Among the soldiers were Republican Guard members, regular army soldiers, and police officials.

The statement was also broadcast on Gabon 1 public television.

– Gunfire in the capital –

AFP journalists heard gunfire in several districts of Libreville during the statement.

The announcement came shortly after the national election authority said Bongo, who has been in power for 14 years, had won a third term in Saturday’s election with 64.27 percent of the vote.

Bongo’s main rival, Albert Ondo Ossa, won just 30.77 percent of the vote, according to the results.

Ondo Ossa had denounced “fraud orchestrated by the Bongo camp”, claiming victory ahead of the closure of polls.

On Monday, Ondo Ossa’s campaign manager Mike Jocktane called on Bongo to hand over power “without bloodshed”, insisting a partial count had Ondo Ossa clearly ahead, without providing any proof.

Gabonese law forbids any publication of partial results pending the final result which only the Gabonese Elections Centre, the body that organises the polls, is legally allowed to publish.

The official election results were broadcast at 03:30 (02:30 GMT) on state television without any prior announcement of the event.

According to Libreville, Bongo's government ordered a curfew and a nationwide internet ban before the polls closed on Saturday to avoid the spread of "false news" and possible violence.