<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Army officers who seized power in a coup in Gabon on Wednesday have named General Brice Oligui Nguema as the West African state's transitional leader.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gen Nguema was earlier carried triumphally through the streets of the capital Libreville by his troops.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The deposed President, Ali Bongo, has appeared in a video at his home, calling on his "friends all over the world" to "make noise" on his behalf.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The former French colony is one of Africa's major oil producers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Bongo's overthrow ended his family's 55-year hold on power.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Army officers appeared on TV in the early hours of Wednesday to say they had taken power.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They said they had annulled the results of Saturday's election in which Mr Bongo was declared the winner but which the opposition said was fraudulent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The officers also said they had arrested one of Mr Bongo's sons for treason.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Watch: Sitting in what he calls his residence, Ali Bongo calls on supporters to "make noise"</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Within hours, generals met to discuss who would lead the transition and agreed by a unanimous vote to appoint Gen Nguema, former head of the presidential guard.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Crowds in Libreville and elsewhere celebrated the army's declaration.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But the coup was condemned by the UN, the African Union and France, which had close ties to the Bongo family.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There has long been simmering resentment of the Bongo family - it ruled Gabon for 55 years - and there has been public discontent over broader issues such as the cost of living.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"At first I was scared, but then I felt joy," a resident of Libreville, who requested anonymity, told the BBC. "I was scared because of the realisation that I am living through a coup, but the joy is because we've been waiting for so long for this regime to be overthrown." BBC</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>