The Autonomous and Permanent National Electoral Commission (CENAP) of Gabon has set 27 April for local elections, sources from the Interior Ministry said in Libreville Wednesday. According to CENAP chairman René Aboghé Ella, officials of the local commissions have already been appointed and have started preparing for the polls. According to the schedule of the elections, nominations will be received between 25 February and 8 March; the publication of lists would be done 25 March while electioneering campaign would officially start 12 April and end 26 April. However, the dates are still subject to ratification by the government. The mandate of the current councillors has already expired in January 2008. Special delegations manage the local institutions pending the election of new leaders, after the Constitutional Court suspended all activities of the councillors whose tenure has expired.
