Cameroon's Constitutional Council Declares Paul Biya as Winner, Despite Allegations of Election Irregularities.
In a move that has raised eyebrows in the international community, Cameroon's constitutional council has declared Paul Biya, the world's oldest serving head of state, as the winner of the country's election. Biya, who is 92 years old, will now be granted an eighth term in office, potentially keeping him in power until he is nearly 100.
According to the results announced by the constitutional council, Biya secured 53.66% of the vote, while his former ally and challenger Issa Tchiroma Bakary came in second with 35.19%. However, Tchiroma has disputed the results, claiming that there was no real election and that he had won unequivocally.
The situation in Cameroon has been volatile in recent weeks, with widespread protests and clashes between security forces and opposition supporters. The ban on public gatherings remains in effect, and many businesses have remained closed due to fear of unrest. Internet restrictions have also been reported, with the state-owned operator Camtel blaming them on a "technical incident".
In a video posted on social media over the weekend, Tchiroma claimed that security personnel had attempted to breach his residence to arrest him. He also accused Biya's government of using violence and intimidation to suppress opposition.
Biya has ruled Cameroon with an iron fist since taking office in 1982, repressing all political and armed opposition and holding on to power through social upheaval, economic disparity, and separatist violence. He is only the second head of state to lead Cameroon since independence from France in 1960.
The international community has expressed concerns over the election process in Cameroon, with many calling for a thorough investigation into allegations of irregularities. The Agence France-Presse contributed to this report.
In a move that has raised eyebrows in the international community, Cameroon's constitutional council has declared Paul Biya, the world's oldest serving head of state, as the winner of the country's election. Biya, who is 92 years old, will now be granted an eighth term in office, potentially keeping him in power until he is nearly 100.
According to the results announced by the constitutional council, Biya secured 53.66% of the vote, while his former ally and challenger Issa Tchiroma Bakary came in second with 35.19%. However, Tchiroma has disputed the results, claiming that there was no real election and that he had won unequivocally.
The situation in Cameroon has been volatile in recent weeks, with widespread protests and clashes between security forces and opposition supporters. The ban on public gatherings remains in effect, and many businesses have remained closed due to fear of unrest. Internet restrictions have also been reported, with the state-owned operator Camtel blaming them on a "technical incident".
In a video posted on social media over the weekend, Tchiroma claimed that security personnel had attempted to breach his residence to arrest him. He also accused Biya's government of using violence and intimidation to suppress opposition.
Biya has ruled Cameroon with an iron fist since taking office in 1982, repressing all political and armed opposition and holding on to power through social upheaval, economic disparity, and separatist violence. He is only the second head of state to lead Cameroon since independence from France in 1960.
The international community has expressed concerns over the election process in Cameroon, with many calling for a thorough investigation into allegations of irregularities. The Agence France-Presse contributed to this report.
I'm getting super worried about what's happening in Cameroon 
. Paul Biya's been in power for ages and it seems like he's only winning because the opposition isn't being heard loud & clear 
. 53.66% is a pretty big margin, especially considering how volatile things have been lately 
. I do hope there's a thorough investigation into all these allegations of election irregularities 
... it's not cool when people are being intimidated and arrested for speaking out 
. Can't wait to see what the world says about this 
.
... a never-ending cycle of corruption and oppression? And the international community is just sitting there, like "oh, well, it's their country to sort out" 
... no, fam, we gotta call BS 
. We need more transparency, not less 
. Can't help but wonder what kind of layout this whole situation is gonna follow... a recipe for disaster, that's for sure 
.
this is so not right 
paul biya has been ruling cameroon for ages and its like he's above the law 
his age is insane 92!!! 
whats next gonna be someone like 100 taking over? 
really? 92 and still got it... or should i say 92 and still got the nerve to think he can just cling to power? lol what's next? 100 year olds running for prez? 
anyway, its clear there were some major issues with these elections. Tchiroma has a point about no real election going on. this guy biya's been in office since '82... that's like me trying to get my degree at community college still and expecting to be done by the time i'm 60 
and i'm so worried about the situation in cameroon with all these protests and clashes... my heart goes out to the people there who are fighting for their rights 
i mean, his former ally is disputing the results and claiming there was no real election... it just feels so suspicious 
. I mean, 92 and still going strong? That's some next-level resilience 
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The world is watching, and Cameroon's citizens deserve a fair and transparent electoral process that reflects their collective voice. 
paul biya is like 92 and he's still gettin that 8th term?? it's so sus they're sayin hes won with 53.66% of the vote but issa tchiroma is claimin no election really and hes the one who should be president 
53.66% is kinda sketchy tbh, seems like a wash if you ask me. and 92 years old in power? what's the deal with that? doesn't he need to take a nap or something 
or are they just gonna let him stay on forever? i mean i get it, stability and all that but come on. internet restrictions too? that's like totally not cool 
Paul Biya's been ruling with an iron fist for ages and now he's getting away with it? 
. And what about Tchiroma's claims of security personnel trying to arrest him? You can't just brush those off as some technical incident 
. We need to keep a close eye on this situation 
I hope someone from the international community steps in and gets some answers about what really went down in those elections.
. I mean, come on, 92 years old and still clinging to power? That's just crazy 
. There needs to be a proper investigation into these allegations of irregularities before we can even start talking about whether or not Biya should be allowed to stay in power 
.
. Not just some hollow shell of it where the results are rigged from the get-go 
. And the fact that there are allegations of election irregularities and internet restrictions... it just smells fishy to me 
.
. And what really gets my goat is that the international community isn't doing enough to put a stop to it. We should be paying closer attention to these situations and trying to help resolve them peacefully 
. Is it because governments are too afraid of change or something? I don't get it...
but i gotta wonder what's gonna happen next? will there be a full-scale uprising or just more protests & unrest? 
fingers crossed that international pressure kicks in & Cameroon gets some much-needed reforms 
. and now the international community is speakin up about it 
. I mean, i get that biya has been in power for a long time and he knows how to keep people quiet, but this is just not right 
. it's like he's trying to rewrite history or something 
.