Cameroon’s Constitutional Council has dismissed multiple petitions calling for the cancellation of the disputed October 12 presidential election, citing insufficient evidence of electoral fraud. The decision, delivered on Thursday, comes amid widespread protests across major cities as opposition supporters decry alleged irregularities, including ballot-stuffing and voter intimidation.
Judges rejected eight complaints lodged by opposition groups seeking either partial or total annulment of the results. The Council stated that the claims lacked credible evidence or fell outside its jurisdiction. The official outcome of the poll is expected to be announced on Monday.
Opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary, 76, has declared himself the winner, asserting that he secured about 55% of the vote based on returns representing 80% of the electorate. In a video statement posted on social media, Bakary described himself as the “legal and legitimate president” and accused the Constitutional Council of bias, given that its judges were appointed by President Paul Biya.
Biya, 92, Africa’s second-longest-serving leader, has ruled Cameroon for 43 years and is seeking another seven-year term. He made only one campaign appearance before the election, fueling criticism that he has become increasingly detached from the population.
Biya’s ruling party swiftly dismissed Bakary’s declaration of victory as illegal, emphasizing that only the Constitutional Council has the authority to announce official results. The party also accused the opposition of attempting to incite unrest.
The influential Catholic Church has urged the judges to ensure the election results “reflect the will of the people,” warning that credibility is essential for national stability.
With tensions running high and security forces deployed across urban centers, fears are mounting that post-election violence could erupt in a country already grappling with separatist conflicts in its Anglophone regions and Boko Haram insurgency in the Far North.
