Cameroon on Edge as Judges Reject Election Appeals and Promise Results Monday

Cameroon is bracing for heightened political tension after judges on the Constitutional Council dismissed all petitions seeking to annul the results of the controversial 12 October presidential election. The court confirmed it would announce the official results on Monday, despite mounting unrest and allegations of widespread electoral fraud.

The rejection of the eight petitions has deepened divisions in the country, with opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary insisting that the poll was rigged in favor of the country’s long-time leader, President Paul Biya. The 92-year-old, who has ruled Cameroon for over four decades, is seeking yet another seven-year term, a move that has drawn both domestic and international concern.

Opposition supporters have flooded the streets of major cities, accusing electoral officials of ballot-stuffing, voter suppression, and other irregularities. However, the Constitutional Council dismissed the petitions, citing insufficient evidence and a lack of jurisdiction to interfere with the electoral process.

Tchiroma Bakary, a 76-year-old former government spokesman who defected from Biya’s ruling party, has declared himself the rightful winner of the election, claiming he secured about 55 percent of the votes based on results allegedly covering 80 percent of the electorate. In a fiery video message on social media, he warned that if the Constitutional Council endorses what he called “falsified and manipulated results,” it would betray the will of the people.

He urged Cameroonians to “take their destiny into their own hands” if the outcome fails to reflect the truth at the polls. His declaration has been condemned by Biya’s allies, who insist that only the Constitutional Council has the authority to announce results, labeling Bakary’s move as unconstitutional.

The powerful Catholic Church has appealed to the court to ensure that its verdict mirrors the genuine will of the people, warning against any decision that could inflame tensions.

With the country already grappling with separatist violence in the Anglophone regions and ongoing Boko Haram insurgency in the Far North, fears are growing that the disputed election could push Cameroon into a deeper crisis.

As the nation awaits Monday’s final verdict, the political atmosphere remains volatile, and the eyes of Africa are fixed on Yaoundé, where the outcome could shape the future of one of the continent’s oldest regimes.