Cameroon’s Constitutional Council on Thursday rejected eight petitions calling for the partial or total annulment of the October 12 presidential election, citing either insufficient evidence of irregularities or lack of jurisdiction. The Council said it will announce the official results on Monday.
Widespread protests have erupted in major cities as opposition supporters allege ballot-stuffing and other electoral flaws. Opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary, 76, has declared himself the winner with about 55% of the vote, claiming his figures are based on returns covering roughly 80% of voters. He refused to lodge complaints with the Constitutional Council, arguing that its judges were appointed by President Paul Biya.
Biya’s ruling party dismissed Tchiroma’s self-declared victory as illegal, stressing that only the Constitutional Council has the authority to proclaim results. Biya, 92, who has ruled for 43 years, held just one campaign rally during the election period.
The Catholic Church has called on judges to ensure that the final verdict reflects the true will of the electorate. Tensions remain high amid fears of post-election unrest in a country already grappling with an Anglophone separatist crisis and a Boko Haram insurgency in the Far North.
Source:Africa Publicity
