In a move that sharply raises political risk, the government of Gabon announced the dissolution of the main opposition party, Union nationale, on January 25th. The disbanding, which was formally confirmed on January 28th, follows the recent pronouncements by the party's secretary-general, André Mba Obame, that he is the rightful president of Gabon (January 2011, The political scene). Mr Mba Obame named as his "prime minister" an academic, Raphaël Bandega-Lendoy, who in turn nominated his cabinet. The fact that only one other founding leader of the Union nationale-Bruno Ben Moubamba, a journalist-was included in the aspirant administration suggests that the UN's five other co-leaders (and former rivals) may be keen to distance themselves from what is a risky gamble.

Mr Mba Obame and the rest of his aspirant government face the prospect of being tried in the courts for treason or insurrection. Indeed, the government has announced its intention to lift the self-declared president's parliamentary immunity from prosecution and dismiss any of his collaborators currently in state employment from their posts. Mr Mba Obame, well aware of this likelihood, took refuge in the offices in Libreville of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) on January 25th, along with a retinue of supporters. A demonstration held by Union nationale activists outside the UNDP building in the early hours of January 26th was quickly broken up by the security forces using tear gas. Another protest, held three days later in a poor part of the capital, Rio de Libreville, was similarly dispersed by the police. Tens of arrests and injuries reportedly resulted from the two episodes of unrest.