"I will never abandon you," Ali Bongo declared in his message to the nation.

For his part, opposition figure Jean Ping, who continues to claim his victory in the 2016 presidential election was stolen from him by Ali Bongo, declared in his own speech to the Gabonese nation that he has not yet said his last word.

The head of state is to preside over a military parade today at which the presidents Macky Sall of Senegal and Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana could participate.