In brief
Judges in Cameroon have dismissed all petitions calling for the cancellation of the contentious presidential election, citing insufficient evidence. The election results are to be announced on Monday, amidst protests from opposition supporters alleging multiple irregularities. Opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary claims victory despite the ruling party's rejection of his claims, while fears of post-electoral violence grow.
Judges in Cameroon have dismissed calls for the partial or total cancellation of the heavily disputed presidential election, saying they will announce the result on Monday.
Major cities in the country have been rocked by protests, with opposition supporters alleging that the 12 October poll was marred by irregularities, including ballot-stuffing.
Judges on the Constitutional Council dismissed eight petitions, citing insufficient evidence of irregularities or a lack of jurisdiction to annul results.
Opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary has declared himself the winner - a claim rejected by allies of 92-year-old President Paul Biya, who is seeking another seven-year term.
Biya has been in power for 43 years, and addressed only one campaign rally ahead of the election.
Tchiroma Bakary, 76, is a former government spokesman who broke ranks with Biya to challenge him for power.
In a video statement posted on social media, Tchiroma Bakary said he had won the election with about 55% of the vote, based on what he claimed were returns representing 80% of the electorate.
If the Constitutional Council proclaims falsified and truncated results, it will be complicit in a breach of trust, he declared.
The growing tensions have sparked fears of post-electoral violence in a country already rocked by a separatist conflict in the Anglophone regions and Boko Haram insurgency in the Far North region.
