A Gabon court will shortly hear a petition for President Ali Bongo Ondimba to undergo medical tests to prove his fitness to govern after suffering a stroke last year, lawyers said Monday.

The case will be heard by the Court of Appeal in Libreville starting August 26, attorneys for both sides said.

Speculation about Bongo’s ability to rule the small oil-rich country has surged since he fell ill while in Saudi Arabia last October.

After being treated in Morocco, he returned home in March but since then has never made a live speech or spoken before the general public.

In March, 10 members of Gabon’s political opposition, civil society and trade union movement filed a suit requesting Bongo be assessed to see whether he was medically fit to continue in office.

A lower court dismissed the case in May, saying that only the two houses of parliament, or the Constitutional Court acting at the behest of the government, were empowered to determine whether the president was unfit.

But the Court of Appeal on Monday said it would hear an appeal by the plaintiffs and set a date for it.

Bongo, 60, succeeded his father Omar Bongo, who became head of state in 1967 and died in June 2009, leaving a legacy of corruption allegations.

Anges Kevin Nzigou, a lawyer who is one of the 10 plaintiffs, said Monday’s decision “is the start of something.”

“For once, (the judicial system) resisted the pressure… (refusing) a demand formulated by the president” for the petition to be tossed out, he charged.

Bongo’s attorney, Tony Serge Ndong, angrily said the case “breaks every rule” and Bongo, as president, “cannot be prosecuted.”

Opposition figures have urged the public to turn out in large numbers on Saturday to witness an annual military parade to mark the country’s independence from France.

Bongo will as usual oversee the parade from a VIP stand, according to the government. If so, says the opposition, the public will be gauge Bongo’s state for themselves.

(AFP)

______________________________________________________________________ ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR LAWYERS: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE Reimagine your practice with the power of AI “...this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic.” — Ohio Books Ltd Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe, Esq., ACIArb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director, Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria. Bonus: Get a FREE eBook titled “How to Use the AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion” with every purchase.

How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌐 Website: www.benadigwe.com

Ebook Version: Access directly online at: https://selar.com/prv626

______________________________________________________________________ "You Don't Need To Be Rich, You Just Need To Start" — Victoria Ezeigwe, Esq Launches Investment Handbook For Nigerians Starting With ₦5,000
By Victoria-Ezeigwe-Esq

Get your copy today and take the first step toward financial growth:

👉 https://selar.co/4f16676016

_______________________________________________________________________ [A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation ________________________________________________________________________ The Law And Practice Of Redundancy In Nigeria: A Practitioner’s Guide, Authored By A Labour & Employment Law Expert Bimbo Atilola _______________________________________________________________________