[1] Ange Edouard Poungui, who was Prime Minister from 1984 to 1989, was chosen as the candidate of the largest opposition party, the Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS),[4] while Mathias Dzon, who was Minister of Finance from 1997 to 2002, was chosen as the candidate of the Alliance for the Republic and Democracy (ARD), a coalition of opposition parties.

[5] The incumbent President, Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Congolese Party of Labour (PCT), was widely expected to run; he eventually announced his candidacy at a rally in Brazzaville on 6 June 2009.

[9][10][11] UPADS spokesman Jean-Claude Ivouloungou denounced the exclusion of Poungui's candidacy and claimed that it was politically motivated, arguing that "over the last two years, all the candidates moved around, to visit family abroad, to fine-tune their plans".

"[12] Roger Bouka Owoko, the head of the Congolese Observatory for Human Rights (OCDH), criticized the electoral lists as "grotesque" on 11 July, saying that it was impossible that there could be so many people who were entitled to vote.

[13] Sassou Nguesso, who was expected to win the election easily in the absence of any serious competitors, cast his vote early in the day in northern Brazzaville.

According to the statement, "by this strong rate of abstention, the Congolese who love justice and peace have expressed their rejection of this totalitarian, arrogant and corrupt regime."

The statement also urged "national and international opinion to acknowledge the illegitimacy of Denis Sassou Nguesso", and it called for the organization of a new election "with the agreement of all political forces in the country".

"[14][dead link‍] Late on election day, Alain Akouala Atipault, the Minister of Communication, dismissed the opposition claims as "incorrect" and said that the presence of 170 international observers disproved the accusations of fraud.

Sassou Nguesso gave a victory speech at his campaign headquarters, declaring that "in peace, freedom and transparency, in the presence of international observers, you have with the 12 July vote renewed your confidence in me".

[20] Two minor independent candidates, Bertin Pandi Ngouari and Anguios Nganguia Engambé, recognized Sassou Nguesso's victory and congratulated him.

Speaking for the government, Akouala Atipault denied this, saying that the international press was welcome; he observed that the journalists were present "at the heart of a demonstration where some material damage was caused.

He said that his re-election meant continued "peace, stability and security", and he called for an end to "thinking like ... freeloaders" in reference to international aid received by the country.