20, October 2018

Counterfeit Presidential Elections: Results expected on October 22 – Issa Tchiroma ⁰

Results of Cameroon’s October 7 presidential elections are expected on Monday, according to the Information Minister, Issa Tchiroma Bakary. The minister was speaking in an interview with French channel, RFI.

His comments come less than 24-hours after the Constitutional Council dismissed 18 petitions brought by individuals and parties seeking partial to total cancellation of the process.

The Council – the ultimate judicial body for poll challenges – had earlier struck off 16 of the 18 petitions before listening to submissions from main opposition Social Democratic Front, SDF, and Cameroon Renaissance Movement, CRM, the two that were passed for hearing.

On Thursday evening, after two days of hearing submissions by legal representatives of the two parties, the Council unanimously ruled that the cases lacked merit and subsequently threw the out.

The election body, ELECAM, and ruling CPDM mounted strong challenges during the hearing arguing that the October 7 vote had passed the democratic test.

ELECAM passed nine candidates including incumbent Paul Biya. The 85-year-old is widely expected to be announced winner of the polls. He will secure a seven-year mandate that will extend his time in power to over four decades.

Source: Africa News