Cameroon’s elections management body says it has received 25 petitions from candidates and voters calling for the Oct. 7 presidential election to be annulled. Candidates Cabral Libii of the opposition Universe party and Joshua Osih of the opposition Social Democratic Front are among those who want the polls annulled. They allege massive fraud and ballot stuffing in favor of President Paul Biya’s ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) party. Cleric Rigobert Gabanmidanha of the Live and Peace Ministry also petitioned for the cancellation of the polls. He claims the constitutional council that certifies election results is controlled by Biya and that many opposition supporters like himself were not allowed to vote.
He says there should be no confusion on the role played by independent state institutions in the electoral process and by their candidate Biya, who is still president. Owona reiterates that all state institutions are independent and act as such.
Cameroon’s election body, ELECAM, has denied any vote-rigging.
The head of ELECAM’s legal unit, Mbufong Marcel Kumfa, says opposition parties have no evidence on which to base their claims as they failed to send representatives to many polling stations.
“The members of the local polling commission all sign the result sheets after counting and each representative of the candidate go home with an original copy, so if you don’t send a representative as the law requires, you cannot have the result sheets from that polling station because you were not present,” Kumfa said.
Full Article: Cameroon’s Election Body Reviewing Petitions to Cancel Presidential Poll.
