Electoral officials were to meet with candidates and leaders of Gabon's political parties on Wednesday ahead of the expected announcement of results from a weekend presidential election.

No announcement on the outcome of the election was expected until after the meeting in the capital Liberville, which was convened by the local electoral commission and was due to begin at 1400 GMT.

The meeting had initially been scheduled for the morning but a spokesperson for the commission gave no reason for the delay which could extend the wait for the results of the contest to succeed Omar Bongo Ondimba after his death in June.

The three main candidates, including the late president's son Ali Bongo, have all claimed victory in the contest, which was marred by complaints of irregularities despite only isolated incidents of violence.

African Union observers on Tuesday said that while the election met legal provisions, "ballot boxes were not sealed in some places" and some polling station staff apparently did not "master the voting process."

Ali Bongo, a former defence minister, is the favourite to win and has already claimed victory.

But his chief rivals Pierre Mamboundou and Andre Mba Obama have also said they won the contest to succeed Omar Bongo, who ruled the former French colony for 41 years

By AFP