YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon – Cameroon’s Constitutional Council is scheduled to begin a pivotal hearing on Wednesday to consider 11 petitions calling for a partial or total annulment of the country’s recent presidential election.
The legal challenges, filed by several opposition figures and political parties, allege significant irregularities in the electoral process that returned 85-year-old Paul Biya, who has been in power for over four decades, for a seventh term.
The petitioners have cited a range of grievances, with a primary focus on logistical failures that they say marred the vote in certain regions. Among the most serious allegations is the claim that ballot boxes were systematically stuffed in favor of the incumbent, President Biya.
The October 7 election was closely watched, with the opposition hoping to unseat one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders. The official results, announced last week, gave Biya a commanding victory with 71.3% of the vote. His main challenger, Maurice Kamto of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC), who officially came in second with 14.2%, is among those who have filed a petition for the election’s total cancellation.
The hearing on Wednesday represents a critical juncture for the nation. The Constitutional Council, which is the final authority on electoral disputes, has the power to invalidate results in specific constituencies or order a completely new election, though such an outcome is considered highly unlikely by most political analysts.
The government and the electoral body have previously denied allegations of widespread fraud, stating that the election was conducted freely and fairly despite logistical challenges in some areas. The Council’s decision, expected in the coming days, will be final and binding.
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