Cameroon opposition leader Maurice Kamto vows to defend poll 'win'

Mr Maurice Kamto (centre, in red), leader of the Cameroonian opposition party Movement for the Rebirth of Cameroon (MRC) is greeted as he arrived on stage in Yaounde, on September 30, 2018 to address a campaign rally for the presidential elections. PHOTO | MARCO LONGARI | AFP

What you need to know:

  • CRM candidate on Monday said he had won the vote, sending his supporters into street celebrations, while incensing the government.
  • Ruling party Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) strongly condemned the proclaimed win, saying it was a manoeuvre to compromise peace in the country.

YAOUNDE,

The leader of the opposition Cameroon Renaissance Movement's (CRM), Prof Maurice Kamto, has vowed to go to court to defend his 'victory' in Sunday's presidential election.

Prof Kamto's spokesman Olivier Bibou Nissack told a press conference at the Nlongkak party headquarter in Yaoundé on Wednesday that they would spare no effort in defending their victory.

Mr Nissack said CRM would sue Territorial Administration minister Paul Atanga Nji and the state television CRTV for featuring 'some individuals' claiming to be international observers giving the conduct of the poll a clean bill of health.

The CRM candidate on Monday said he had won the vote, sending his supporters into street celebrations and incensing the government.

“I have received a clear mandate from the Cameroonian people which I will firmly defend right to the end and I want the national and international community to bear witness to this historic event that has ushered in a democratic political change in our country,” Mr Kamto said.

However, incumbent President Paul Biya’s governing Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) strongly condemned the proclaimed win, saying it was a manoeuvre to compromise peace and tranquillity in the country.

CPDM Secretary-General Jean Nkuete told a press conference in Yaoundé late Monday that the party was surprised and worried by the declaration which showed disregard for the rules of democracy and institutions.

All indications now were the Cameroon was headed for a long-drawn election dispute, despite some observers approving the conduct of the election.​