Cameroon’s top court has turned down all petitions challenging the outcome of the 12 October presidential election, signaling that the official results will be revealed on Monday.
The announcement comes as demonstrations continue in several major cities, with opposition supporters claiming the vote was plagued by irregularities such as ballot-stuffing.
The Constitutional Council rejected eight appeals, citing either insufficient proof or a lack of jurisdiction to nullify the election. Opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary, 76, who once served as a government spokesperson, has proclaimed himself the winner, a claim dismissed by allies of President Paul Biya, 92, who is seeking a seventh term.
Biya, who has ruled Cameroon for more than four decades, held only a single campaign rally before the elections. Tchiroma Bakary did not submit formal complaints to the council, whose judges are appointed by Biya, and instead declared himself the "legal and legitimate president."
In a video posted online, Tchiroma Bakary said he had won about 55% of the votes, based on returns covering roughly 80% of voters. "If the Constitutional Council proclaims falsified and truncated results, it will be complicit in a breach of trust," he stated.
He added that "with their backs against the wall, the people will have no choice but to take their destiny into their own hands and seek victory wherever they can find it."
The ruling party has rejected his claims, insisting that only the Constitutional Council can announce official results. The Catholic Church also weighed in, urging judges to ensure the outcome reflects the true will of the electorate.
The tensions come amid concerns over potential post-election violence in a country already grappling with a separatist insurgency in the Anglophone regions and Boko Haram attacks in the Far North
