Equatorial Guinea president reelected indefinite leader of ruling party

Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea’s ruling party, the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE), has re-elected President Teodoro Obiang-Nguema as head of the party for an indefinite term, the AFP news agency has reported.

The 74-year-old leader, who founded the party which has ruled the oil-rich nation since 1979, was handed the indefinite term after the 6th Ordinary Congress of the PDGE.

“PDGE’s founding president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, is the president of the PDGE for an indefinite period,” said Jeronimo Osa Osa Ecoro, party general secretary, reading one of the resolutions of the 6th Congress on national television.

How to get the [new OPEC member ](<
http://www.africanews.com/2017/05/25/equatorial-guinea-approved-as-latest-opec-member/>) out of the current economic crisis borne out of slump in oil prices was top of the agenda of this Congress, which was held from 4 to 6 July in Bata, the economic capital of the country.

The new development in the Central African country quells all predictions of party succession even though the closest successor is the son and current vice-president, Teodorin Obiang Nguema. He is currently on trial in France on charges relating to embezzlement of public funds and corruption. He strongly denies the charges.

The 6th Congress of the PDGE brought together 13,000 delegates and coincided with the 31st anniversary of the founding of the party.

“The Congress is to evaluate the journey traveled and define the new policies facing the new horizons,” declared the president of Equatorial Guinea at the opening of the Congress.

The head of state of the only Spanish-speaking African country is one of the continent’s longest serving leaders having come to power in August 1979. He won reelection in April 2016 with over 90% of the vote.

Oil-rich Equatorial Guinea is one of Africa’s largest oil exporters, but most of its 740,000 inhabitants are said to be living in poverty.