Judges in Cameroon have decisively shut down claims of election fraud, casting a long shadow over the presidential results. The Constitutional Council, composed of judges handpicked by President Paul Biya, has dismissed eight petitions alleging irregularities and rejected jurisdiction to annul the results.
The highly contentious presidential poll was marked by claims of widespread ballot stuffing and irregularities, prompting widespread protests across Cameroon's major cities. According to opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who declared himself the winner with around 55% of the vote based on returns from 80% of the electorate, the judges' dismissal has brought no relief.
The ruling party of President Biya has rejected these claims and called them "illegal". In contrast, Tchiroma's claim is seen by his supporters as a legitimate assertion that his victory has been stolen. The Catholic Church in Cameroon urged the judges to ensure their decision reflected the will of voters.
Tensions are growing with fears of post-electoral violence - issues exacerbated by ongoing separatist conflicts and Boko Haram insurgency in different parts of the country.
This highly charged outcome adds another layer to a presidency spanning nearly 43 years for Biya, making him one of Africa's longest-serving leaders.
The highly contentious presidential poll was marked by claims of widespread ballot stuffing and irregularities, prompting widespread protests across Cameroon's major cities. According to opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who declared himself the winner with around 55% of the vote based on returns from 80% of the electorate, the judges' dismissal has brought no relief.
The ruling party of President Biya has rejected these claims and called them "illegal". In contrast, Tchiroma's claim is seen by his supporters as a legitimate assertion that his victory has been stolen. The Catholic Church in Cameroon urged the judges to ensure their decision reflected the will of voters.
Tensions are growing with fears of post-electoral violence - issues exacerbated by ongoing separatist conflicts and Boko Haram insurgency in different parts of the country.
This highly charged outcome adds another layer to a presidency spanning nearly 43 years for Biya, making him one of Africa's longest-serving leaders.
judges ther just brushed off all claims of election fraud and now its like biya got reelected with his loyal supporters lol. but opnion is that its all rigged and biya cant even b bothered 2 do things rite?? 
like what about the catholic church, dont they get a say in whats happenin here? 
i guess the judges wer just to blind 2 see the truth 
. btw this is like the 3rd time biya's been accused of election tampering and yet hes stil in power 
Just heard about this in the news and I'm totally shook 
. The fact that judges handpicked by President Biya are basically rubber-stamping his win without even hearing the opposition out is super concerning 
This presidency has already gone on for 43 years, that's ages! 
I just wish there was more transparency and accountability in the electoral process... maybe some sort of audit or something to ensure the results are legit? 
#JusticeForCameroon #FairElectionsMatter #AfricaDeservesBetter
And what really gets me is that the opposition candidate, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, is still saying that he won with 55% of the vote, even though the other party has rejected his claims as "illegal". It just feels so... messy. 
And let's not forget about all the tensions and fears of post-electoral violence - it's just a whole lot of drama going on in Cameroon right now. 
. The judges' decision is like blocking a big red flag 
, and it's not surprising that tensions are escalating 
. Eight petitions were dismissed without even being heard, and it feels like democracy took a hit 
. The opposition candidate's claim of 55% of the vote sounds legit, but it's hard to know what really happened with all the voting irregularities 
.
, and it's hard to see how things will get better without more transparency and trust in the electoral process 
.
i mean what even is the point of having an election if it's gonna get shut down like this? meanwhile opposition candidate tchiroma is just saying "hey, my people are being lied to" and no one's listening 
the catholic church trying to stay neutral but come on, they can't just ignore the obvious 