Cameroon Court Throws Out Election Challenges, Clearing Biya’s Path to Victory

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

Cameroon’s Constitutional Council has dismissed all ten petitions challenging the results of the October 12 presidential election, removing the final legal hurdle before the official results are declared.

The council said the complaints, ranging from ballot stuffing to voter intimidation—lacked sufficient evidence or fell outside its jurisdiction. The decision is final and cannot be appealed.

The ruling comes as protests spread across northern cities, with security forces clashing with opposition supporters demanding a review of the election. In Maroua and Garoua, police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators who accused authorities of manipulating the vote.

President Paul Biya, 92, is widely expected to secure a record eighth term in office. Partial results reported by local media already show the longtime leader far ahead of his rivals. If confirmed, the victory would extend Biya’s rule—already one of the longest in the world—toward nearly half a century.

Opposition figure and former Biya ally Issa Tchiroma has rejected the process, claiming to have won 54.8 percent of the votes based on figures compiled by his team. He has vowed not to recognize any other outcome.

The government has dismissed allegations of fraud, urging calm as the country awaits the final announcement.

Cameroon has been under Paul Biya’s leadership since 1982, making him Africa’s second-longest-serving president. His administration has faced criticism for authoritarian practices, suppression of dissent, and mishandling of the Anglophone crisis in the country’s northwest and southwest regions.

This election, held amid tight security and low voter confidence, was seen by many as a test of the country’s democratic credibility. With the Constitutional Council’s ruling now in Biya’s favor, concerns about political reform and the future of opposition politics in Cameroon have grown even stronger.