FAMILY’S 50- YEAR RULE NARROWLY WINS IN GABON

The tiny Central African nation of Gabon braced for possible violence Wednesday after controversial election results declared President Ali Bongo the winner of a second, seven- year term by a razor- thin margin.

Bongo won 49.8% of the votes to challenger Jean Ping’s 48.2% in Saturday’s vote, the Gabon election commission said Wednesday.

Congo- based Africanews reported that Ping was demanding a recount in Haut Ogooue, a stronghold province for Bongo that reported 99.98% turnout.

A victory for Ping, 73, would end a half- century of Bongo family rule in the oil- rich nation of less than 2 million people.