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	<title>Jean-Boniface Assélé - Revision history</title>
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		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Rescuing 2 sources and tagging 3 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;New page&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;{{Short description|Gabonese politician}}&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Jean-Boniface Assélé&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039; (born 9 February 1939&amp;lt;ref name=CV&amp;gt;{{cite web|url=http://www.assemblee.ga/Compostion/bisdeputes/estuaire/assele.html |title=Page at National Assembly website |accessdate=2017-04-20 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030914014925/http://www.assemblee.ga/Compostion/bisdeputes/estuaire/assele.html |archivedate=September 14, 2003 |language=fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref name=Who&amp;gt;&amp;quot;Assélé Jean-Boniface&amp;quot;, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Gabon: Les Hommes de Pouvoir&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, number 4, [http://www.africaintelligence.fr Africa Intelligence], 5 March 2002 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;) is a [[Gabon]]ese politician and the President of the [[Circle of Liberal Reformers]] (CLR). He served in the government of Gabon from 1975 to 1990 and again from 2004 to 2009. He was also Commander-in-Chief of the National Police Forces from 1970 to 1989 and held the rank of General. Since September 2009, Assélé has been the Fourth Vice-President of the [[Senate of Gabon]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Police command and government service during single-party rule==&lt;br /&gt;
Assélé was born in [[Akiéni]]. From 1970 to 1989, he was Commander-in-Chief of the National Police Forces; also during that period, he served as High Commissioner at the Presidency&amp;lt;ref name=CV/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref name=Who/&amp;gt; from 1974 to 1975&amp;lt;ref name=Who/&amp;gt; and was appointed as Secretary of State for Information in 1975. He was then appointed as Minister of National Education later in 1975,&amp;lt;ref name=CV/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref name=Who/&amp;gt; and he was retained in the government as Minister of National Education, Youth, Sports and Leisure on 13 July 1977.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[https://books.google.com/books?id=dTdyAAAAMAAJ&amp;amp;q=assele+%E2%80%8E &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Année africaine 1977&amp;#039;&amp;#039;], pages 228&amp;amp;ndash;229 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;&amp;quot;Sep 1977 - Cabinet Changes&amp;quot;, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Keesing&amp;#039;s Record of World Events&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, volume 23, September 1977, Gabon, page 28,572.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; In 1980 he was moved to the position of Minister of Public Works.&amp;lt;ref name=CV/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref name=Who/&amp;gt; At the Third Extraordinary Congress of the [[Gabonese Democratic Party]] (PDG) in early March 1983, Assélé was elected to the PDG Central Committee.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.keesings.com/search?kssp_selected_tab=article&amp;amp;kssp_a_id=32182n01gab &amp;quot;Jun 1983 - Sentencing of regime&amp;#039;s opponents Government changes Relations with France&amp;quot;], &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Keesing&amp;#039;s Record of World Events&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, volume 29, June 1983, Gabon, page 32,182.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For years, Assélé was a brother-in-law of President [[Omar Bongo]]&amp;lt;ref name=Sep&amp;gt;&amp;quot;Sep 2004 - Gabon&amp;quot;, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Keesing&amp;#039;s Record of World Events&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, Volume 50, September, 2004 Gabon, Page 46191.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref name=Eco&amp;gt;Michael Charles Reed and James Franklin Barnes, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Culture, Ecology, and Politics in Gabon&amp;#039;s Rainforest&amp;#039;&amp;#039; (2003), page 256.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; as the brother of Bongo&amp;#039;s wife [[Patience Dabany|Joséphine Kama]].&amp;lt;ref name=Eco/&amp;gt; He is said to have used his position as head of police to keep watch on his sister and report her &amp;quot;indiscretions&amp;quot; to Bongo.&amp;lt;ref name=Decalo&amp;gt;Samuel Decalo, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;The Stable Minority: Civilian Rule in Africa, 1960-1990&amp;#039;&amp;#039; (1998), page 160.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Bongo and Joséphine divorced in 1988.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;David E. Gardinier, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Historical Dictionary of Gabon&amp;#039;&amp;#039; (1994), page 69.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Although Assélé was considered a &amp;quot;long-time and trusted ally&amp;quot; of Bongo,&amp;lt;ref name=Decalo/&amp;gt; [[Léon Ossiali]] was appointed to replace him as Commander-in-Chief of the National Police Forces on 12 January 1989.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[https://books.google.com/books?id=V8niAAAAMAAJ&amp;amp;q=jean-boniface+assele+1989 &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Africa Contemporary Record&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, volume 21] (1992).&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; His removal from that key position was interpreted by some observers as a consequence of Bongo&amp;#039;s divorce;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;James Franklin Barnes, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Gabon: Beyond the Colonial Legacy&amp;#039;&amp;#039; (1992), page 56.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[https://books.google.com/books?id=V_IbtOPFHZgC&amp;amp;q=jean-boniface+assele &amp;#039;&amp;#039;1990 International Year Book&amp;#039;&amp;#039;], page 253.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; another explanation attributed it to a leaflet campaign by the exiled opposition group [[Movement for National Rectification|MORENA]], which had smuggled the leaflets into Gabon. Despite being removed from his police command, Assélé remained in his post as Minister of Public Works at that time.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Africa South of the Sahara 1991&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, Europa Publications Limited, page 483.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; After ten years as Minister of Public Works, he was instead appointed as Minister of Water and Forests in February 1990, but he only held that position until April 1990, when he was dismissed from the government.&amp;lt;ref name=Who/&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Political career after 1990==&lt;br /&gt;
Assélé was elected to the [[National Assembly of Gabon|National Assembly]] in the [[1990 Gabonese legislative election|1990 parliamentary election]].&amp;lt;ref name=CV/&amp;gt; Together with other members of the PDG, Assélé split from the ruling party in late 1992 and formed the Circle of Liberal Reformers;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Political Parties of the World&amp;#039;&amp;#039; (6th edition, 2005), ed. Bogdan Szajkowski, page 240.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; as a result, he and two others were expelled from the PDG in December 1992.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[https://books.google.com/books?id=B7eMAAAAIAAJ&amp;amp;q=jean-boniface+assele &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Africa Research Bulletin&amp;#039;&amp;#039;] (1993), page 10,857.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; He and the CLR nevertheless allied with the PDG and supported Bongo&amp;#039;s candidacy in the [[1993 Gabonese presidential election|December 1993 presidential election]].&amp;lt;ref name=JH&amp;gt;J. H. Okouma M&amp;#039;Engandzi, [http://www.agpgabon.ga/show_article.php?IDActu=7308 &amp;quot;Politique : La majorité présidentielle une structure à renouveler&amp;quot;] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721025952/http://www.agpgabon.ga/show_article.php?IDActu=7308 |date=2011-07-21 }}, Agence Gabonaise de Presse, 6 April 2010 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Assélé remained in the National Assembly until the end of the parliamentary term in 1996, and he was re-elected to the National Assembly in the [[1996 Gabonese legislative election|December 1996 parliamentary election]], winning the second seat from the Third &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Arrondissement&amp;#039;&amp;#039; of [[Libreville]].&amp;lt;ref name=CV/&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the National Assembly, Assélé was President of the Center of Democrats (CDD) Parliamentary Group,&amp;lt;ref name=CV/&amp;gt; and subsequently he was President of the Group of Republican Democrats (GDR) Parliamentary Group.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{cite web|url=http://www.assemblee.ga/Compostion/groupes/GDR.htm |title=List of members of the GDR Parliamentary Group |accessdate=2017-04-20 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20031201073842/http://www.assemblee.ga/Compostion/groupes/GDR.htm |archivedate=December 1, 2003 }}, National Assembly website (2004 archive page) {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; He was also the Mayor of the Third &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Arrondissement&amp;#039;&amp;#039; of Libreville.&amp;lt;ref name=Trois&amp;gt;[http://www.bdpgabon.org/archives/content/view/570/52/ &amp;quot;Trois mois après la rentrée au gouvernement de Jean-Boniface Assélé et P-C Maganga Moussavou: Comme&amp;quot;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716120508/http://www.bdpgabon.org/archives/content/view/570/52/ |date=2011-07-16 }}, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;L&amp;#039;Union&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, 2 December 2004 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Return to the government (2004&amp;amp;ndash;2009)===&lt;br /&gt;
On 5 September 2004, after 14 years out of the government, Assélé was appointed as Minister of Labor and Employment;&amp;lt;ref name=Sep/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref name=IZF&amp;gt;[http://www.izf.net/pages/gouvernement/5894/ List of governments of Gabon] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121161309/http://www.izf.net/pages/gouvernement/5894/ |date=2008-11-21 }}, IZF.net {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; as a result he had to step down as Mayor of the Third &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Arrondissement&amp;#039;&amp;#039; due to incompatibility of functions. Nevertheless, he was not immediately replaced in his post as Mayor and the situation was somewhat confused; Assélé continued to sign municipal acts due to the lack of a replacement, although the legality of this was unclear.&amp;lt;ref name=Trois/&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In 2005, after [[Zacharie Myboto]] criticized Bongo in his book &amp;#039;&amp;#039;J&amp;#039;accuse&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, Assélé published &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Incroyable!&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, a book written in response to &amp;#039;&amp;#039;J&amp;#039;accuse&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, criticizing Myboto.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.bdpgabon.org/archives/content/view/2303/9/ &amp;quot;&amp;quot;Incroyable&amp;quot;: La riposte littéraire de Jean Boniface Assélé à Myboto&amp;quot;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928011238/http://www.bdpgabon.org/archives/content/view/2303/9/ |date=2011-09-28 }}, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;L&amp;#039;Union&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, 4 October 2005 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Assélé backed Bongo in the [[2005 Gabonese presidential election|November 2005 presidential election]] and participated in his campaign team as President of the Security Commission.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.bdpgabon.org/archives/index2.php?option=com_content&amp;amp;do_pdf=1&amp;amp;id=2354 &amp;quot;L&amp;#039;etat-major du candidat Bongo Ondimba désormais connu&amp;quot;] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716122812/http://www.bdpgabon.org/archives/index2.php?option=com_content&amp;amp;do_pdf=1&amp;amp;id=2354 |date=2011-07-16 }}, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;L&amp;#039;Union&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, 13 October 2005 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Following Bongo&amp;#039;s re-election, Assélé was moved to the post of Minister of the Civil Service, Administrative Reform, and the Modernization of the State on 21 January 2006.&amp;lt;ref name=IZF/&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the [[2006 Gabonese legislative election|December 2006 parliamentary election]], Assélé ran for re-election to the second seat from the Third &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Arrondissement&amp;#039;&amp;#039;; he was initially declared the winner, but the opposition [[Union of the Gabonese People]] (UPG) protested that. On 27 December 2006, the [[Constitutional Court of Gabon|Constitutional Court]] invalidated Assélé&amp;#039;s victory and declared UPG candidate [[Bernadette Bourobou Koumba]] the winner with 41.85% of the vote; the results from some polling stations were invalidated because of fraud.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.mamboundou2005.com/2006/12/assele_battue.html &amp;quot;Gabon : la Cour constitutionnelle invalide la victoire électorale de Jean Boniface Asselé dans le 2ème siège du 3ème arrondissement de Libreville&amp;quot;], Gabonews, 27 December 2006 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.internetgabon.com/Actualites/Actus-Janvier2007/m-actu-13-14012007a.htm &amp;quot;La Cour constitutionnelle saisie d&amp;#039;un volumineux contentieux, électoral&amp;quot;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120102220/http://www.internetgabon.com/Actualites/Actus-Janvier2007/m-actu-13-14012007a.htm |date=2008-11-20 }}, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;L&amp;#039;Union&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, 13&amp;amp;ndash;14 January 2007 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Assélé had been continuously elected to that seat since 1990, and his defeat there, in what was considered his stronghold, was viewed as a possible sign of the CLR&amp;#039;s declining fortunes.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.internetgabon.com/actualites/Actus-Decembre2006/m-actu-28122006b.htm &amp;quot;La victoire à l&amp;#039;UPG&amp;quot;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303202901/http://www.internetgabon.com/actualites/Actus-Decembre2006/m-actu-28122006b.htm |date=2016-03-03 }}, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;L&amp;#039;Union&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, 28 December 2006 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; After the Constitutional Court declared Koumba the winner, Assélé called on his supporters to remain calm and refrain from violence or disorder, stressing that Gabon was a state of law; he said that he would appeal to the Constitutional Court for the annulment of the results in his constituency due to irregularities.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.internetgabon.com/actualites/Actus-Decembre2006/m-actu-29122006b.htm &amp;quot;Jean Boniface Assélé invite ses partisans à garder le calme&amp;quot;]{{Dead link|date=October 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;L&amp;#039;Union&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, 29 December 2008 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Following a partial election re-run in June 2007, Assélé expressed anger towards other parties of the Presidential Majority, believing that they were not treating the CLR properly, and he threatened to leave the Presidential Majority.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=1644 &amp;quot;Jean-Boniface Assélé s’interroge sur son statut au sein de la majorité présidentielle&amp;quot;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510072109/http://gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=1644 |date=2008-05-10 }}, Gaboneco, 26 June 2007 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; His ministerial portfolio was modified on 28 December 2007, when he was appointed as Minister of the Civil Service and the Modernization of the State.&amp;lt;ref name=IZF/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.infosplusgabon.com/article.php3?id_article=1641 &amp;quot;Gabon : Composition du nouveau gouvernement&amp;quot;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104165433/http://infosplusgabon.com/article.php3?id_article=1641 |date=2010-01-04 }}, Infosplusgabon, 29 December 2007 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Assélé was instead appointed as Minister of Communication, Posts, Telecommunications, and New Information Technologies on 4 February 2008,&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.bdpgabon.org/articles/2008/02/04/gabon-remaniement-du-gouvernement-laure-olga-gondjout-nouveau-chef-de-la-diplomatie-gabonaise/ &amp;quot;Gabon: Remaniement du gouvernement: Laure Olga Gondjout nouveau chef de la diplomatie gabonaise&amp;quot;], Gabonews, 4 February 2008 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; taking office on 7 February.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.agpgabon.ga/show_article.php?IDActu=3013 &amp;quot;Politique : Gondjout passe le témoin au général Assélé à la Communication&amp;quot;], AGP, 7 February 2008 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; He represented Gabon at a summit of the [[Economic Community of Central African States]] (ECCAS) in [[Kinshasa]] on 10 March 2008.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&amp;amp;click_id=68&amp;amp;art_id=nw20080310133220448C502383 &amp;quot;African leaders gather for Chad summit&amp;quot;], Sapa-AFP (&amp;#039;&amp;#039;IOL&amp;#039;&amp;#039;), 10 March 2008.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; He was subsequently moved to the position of Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation on 7 October 2008.&amp;lt;ref name=IZF/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;&amp;quot;Oct 2008 - New cabinet&amp;quot;, &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Keesing&amp;#039;s Record of World Events&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, volume 54, October 2008, Gabon, page 48,815.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On 25 March 2008, Assélé announced his candidacy for the position of Mayor of Libreville as part of the [[2008 Gabonese local elections|April 2008 local election]].&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.bdpgabon.org/articles/2008/03/26/jean-boniface-assele-en-lice-pour-la-mairie-de-libreville/ &amp;quot;Jean Boniface Assélé en lice pour la mairie de Libreville&amp;quot;], Gaboneco, 26 March 2008 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; In that election, he headed the CLR&amp;#039;s candidate list in the Third &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Arrondissement&amp;#039;&amp;#039;.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.bdpgabon.org/articles/2008/04/22/gabon-locales-2008-a-libreville-assele-prone-la-%C2%AB-rupture-%C2%BB-avec-%C2%AB-les-pactes-non-ecrits-%C2%BB-d%E2%80%99un-maire-fang-ou-mpongwe-a-l%E2%80%99hotel-de-ville/ &amp;quot;Gabon: Locales 2008 / A Libreville, Assélé prône la « rupture » avec « les pactes non écrits » d’un maire Fang ou Mpongwè à l’Hôtel de ville&amp;quot;], Gabonews, 22 April 2008 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; After the election, the opposition challenged the results in the Third &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Arrondissement&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, but its appeal was rejected by the Constitutional Court.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=9549 &amp;quot;Gabon : La Cour constitutionnelle dit le droit&amp;quot;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113161450/http://gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=9549 |date=2010-01-13 }}, Gaboneco, 23 August 2008 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Political activities since 2009===&lt;br /&gt;
Assélé served in the government for over four years before being dismissed on 14 January 2009.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.gabonews.ga/actualite/actualites_2007.php?Article=6071 &amp;quot;Gabon: Liste des Membres du nouveau gouvernement Gabonais rendue publique mercredi soir (Officiel)&amp;quot;] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090121131747/http://gabonews.ga/actualite/actualites_2007.php?Article=6071 |date=2009-01-21 }}, Gabonews, 14 January 2009 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.gabonews.ga/actualite/actualites_2007.php?Article=6074 &amp;quot;Gabon: Une cinquantaine de membres dans le nouveau gouvernement « ouvert et dense »&amp;quot;]{{Dead link|date=October 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Gabonews, 14 January 2009 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[https://web.archive.org/web/20090118170732/http://www.french.xinhuanet.com/french/2009-01/15/content_798811.htm &amp;quot;Gabon: proclamation d&amp;#039;un nouveau gouvernement&amp;quot;], Xinhua, 15 January 2009 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Protesting his exclusion from the government, Assélé called a meeting of the CLR leadership and decided that it was necessary to take steps to increase the party&amp;#039;s national prominence; accordingly, he asked that all the party&amp;#039;s elected officials refuse to accept secondary positions that were &amp;quot;detrimental to the honor of the party&amp;quot;. As a CLR candidate in the Third &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Arrondissement&amp;#039;&amp;#039; of Libreville, Assélé was elected as a Senator in the [[2009 Gabonese Senate election|18 January 2009 Senate election]].&amp;lt;ref name=Fourth&amp;gt;[http://www.gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=12399 &amp;quot;Gabon : Assélé boude la 4e vice-présidence du Sénat&amp;quot;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223215304/http://www.gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=12399 |date=2009-02-23 }}, GabonEco, 20 February 2009 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; He was subsequently elected as the Fourth Vice-President of the [[Senate of Gabon|Senate]] on 16 February 2009.&amp;lt;ref name=Fourth/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.gabonews.ga/actualite/actualites_2007.php?Article=6476 &amp;quot;Gabon: Parlement : cinq dames et dix hommes forment le nouveau Bureau du Sénat&amp;quot;] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218214713/http://gabonews.ga/actualite/actualites_2007.php?Article=6476 |date=2009-02-18 }}, Gabonews, 16 February 2009 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Assélé was not present for the election of members of the Bureau of the Senate. Because the CLR leadership had already agreed that Assélé would not accept any post in the Bureau of the Senate below that of Third Vice-President, Assélé sent a letter to Senate President [[Rose Francine Rogombé]] on 17 February, notifying her that he declined the post of the Fourth Vice-President.&amp;lt;ref name=Fourth/&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After more than 41 years in power, Omar Bongo died on 8 June 2009. Assélé then urged the parties of the Presidential Majority to unite behind a single candidate for the [[2009 Gabonese presidential election|August 2009 presidential election]].&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=14070 &amp;quot;Gabon : Les préférences du peuple se font attendre&amp;quot;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090710000501/http://gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=14070 |date=2009-07-10 }}, Gaboneco, 7 July 2009 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; The PDG selected [[Ali Bongo Ondimba|Ali Bongo]] as its candidate; as Ali was a son of Omar Bongo and Joséphine Kama, Assélé was his maternal uncle. Unlike many other leaders of the Presidential Majority, who defected to run their own candidacies or back opposition candidates, Assélé strongly supported Bongo. When the PDG officially launched its campaign in mid-August 2009, Assélé was present for the occasion and declared that the PDG&amp;#039;s &amp;quot;true friends&amp;quot; were there, suggesting that false friends were exposed by their absence.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.gabonews.ga/actualite/actualites_2007.php?Article=8466 &amp;quot;Gabon: Présidentielle 2009 / « Les amis, les vrais sont là », Jean Boniface Asselé&amp;quot;]{{Dead link|date=October 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Gabonews, 16 August 2009 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; At a rally for Bongo in the Third &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Arrondissement&amp;#039;&amp;#039; on 27 August, he denounced [[André Mba Obame]], who had left the PDG to run as an independent candidate.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=14702 &amp;quot;Gabon : Ali Bongo au pas de course dans Libreville&amp;quot;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304210302/http://www.gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=14702 |date=2010-03-04 }}, Gaboneco, 28 August 2009 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
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The Senate held another vote for the position of Fourth Vice-President on 15 September 2009, and Assélé was again elected to the post, receiving 80% of the vote. Assélé accepted the post on that occasion, despite his refusal earlier in the year.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=14973 &amp;quot;Gabon : Jean Boniface Assélé se déjuge pour son siège au Sénat&amp;quot;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091215120255/http://gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=14973 |date=2009-12-15 }}, Gaboneco, 18 September 2009 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.infosplusgabon.com/article.php3?id_article=3938 &amp;quot;Gabon : Jean Boniface Asséle rejoint finalement le Sénat&amp;quot;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104094022/http://infosplusgabon.com/article.php3?id_article=3938 |date=2010-01-04 }}, Infosplusgabon, 17 September 2009 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
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Bongo won the presidential election with about 42% of the vote, according to official results, but the opposition alleged fraud and appealed to the Constitutional Court in September 2009. One of the minor opposition candidates, [[Luc Bengone Nsi]] of [[Movement for National Rectification|MORENA]], filed an appeal based on an accusation that Ali Bongo was an adoptive rather than natural son of Omar Bongo and that he was a Nigerian by birth; because Bongo was born outside of Gabon (in [[Brazzaville]]), he would be ineligible for the Presidency if he were not born to Gabonese parents. On 18 September, Assélé reacted furiously to Bengone Nsi&amp;#039;s claim and announced plans to sue him over the matter&amp;amp;mdash;&amp;quot;To say ... that my nephew is of Nigerian origin is pure defamation&amp;quot;&amp;amp;mdash;while vouching for the accuracy of the official version of Bongo&amp;#039;s birth: &amp;quot;I affirm that Mr. Ali Bongo Ondimba was born in Brazzaville to father Albert-Bernard Bongo and mother Kama Joséphine in 1959.&amp;quot;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.lepost.fr/article/2009/09/19/1704055_derniers-recours-attendus-ce-samedi-a-la-cour-constitutionnelle-du-gabon.html &amp;quot;Derniers recours attendus ce samedi à la Cour constitutionnelle du Gabon&amp;quot;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007034916/http://www.lepost.fr/article/2009/09/19/1704055_derniers-recours-attendus-ce-samedi-a-la-cour-constitutionnelle-du-gabon.html |date=2009-10-07 }}, African Press Agency, 19 September 2009 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
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In early 2010, the CLR under Assélé&amp;#039;s leadership was one of the only significant parties  to remain allied with the PDG as part of the Presidential Majority.&amp;lt;ref name=JH/&amp;gt; He led a delegation of political parties supporting President Bongo at a meeting with the latter on 15 December 2010 to discuss the forthcoming [[2011 Gabonese parliamentary election|parliamentary election]] and other matters.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=20834 &amp;quot;Gabon : Les législatives 2011 dans le viseur d’Ali Bongo&amp;quot;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711062500/http://www.gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=20834 |date=2011-07-11 }}, Gaboneco, 16 December 2010 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
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Assélé participated in the 2017 national political dialogue as a representative of the majority supporting President Bongo. At the time he was Deputy Mayor of Libreville. At the dialogue he acted one of the majority&amp;#039;s two vice-presidents.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Mathieu Olivier, [http://www.jeuneafrique.com/422238/politique/gabon-participants-duree-objectifs-quil-faut-savoir-dialogue-politique/ &amp;quot;Gabon : participants, durée, objectifs… Ce qu’il faut savoir sur le dialogue politique&amp;quot;], &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Jeune Afrique&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, 29 March 2017 {{in lang|fr}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
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==References==&lt;br /&gt;
{{reflist}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{DEFAULTSORT:Assele, Jean-Boniface}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:1939 births]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Living people]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:People from Haut-Ogooué Province]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Gabonese Democratic Party politicians]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Centre of Liberal Reformers politicians]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Government ministers of Gabon]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Members of the Senate of Gabon]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Members of the National Assembly of Gabon]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:21st-century Gabonese politicians]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Bongo family]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
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