Cameroon court declares Paul Biya, world’s oldest president, winner of latest election
Second-place candidate rejects official results that left 92-year-old Biya still in power, after fatal weekend protests
Cameroon’s President Paul Biya has been declared the winner of October 12 elections that were marred by the disqualification of his main challenger, and is set to rule the central African nation until the age of 99 if he completes his eighth term.
The country’s top court on Monday said Biya, 92, the world’s oldest president, who held one election rally, had got more than half of the votes cast.
Presidential candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary rejected the official results by the Constitutional Council.
“There was no election; it was rather a masquerade. We won unequivocally,” Tchiroma said, after the council said he came second with 35.2 per cent of the vote against Biya’s 53.7 per cent.
Tchiroma also said two protesters were killed in demonstrations outside his home in the northern city of Garoua. An Agence France-Presse reporter saw one person shot but could not confirm whether he died.
Weekend clashes with security forces left at least four protesters dead as opposition supporters rallied to demand credible results.