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CAMEROON-VOTE-AU
African Union urges ‘restraint’ in Cameroon vote spat
ADDIS ABABA, Oct 10, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – The African Union on Wednesday called
for “maximum restraint” in Cameroon following an opposition candidate’s
declaration of victory following the weekend’s presidential vote.
Ahead of the official results, Maurice Kamto, a leading opposition
challenger with the MRC — the Movement for the Rebirth of Cameroon, declared
himself winner of the Sunday elections.
Kamto’s dramatic announcement came a day after the vote which was marred
by violence in restive anglophone regions, a low turnout and problems staging
the ballot in the conflict-hit areas.
With tensions running high over the vote, African Union Commission
chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat called for both sides to avoid aggravating the
situation.
“The Chairperson underlines the need for all political stakeholders to
exercise maximum restraint and refrain from any statement or action that
could heighten tensions,” Faki said in a statement, indicating he was
“closely following” developments.
“Any claim relating to the electoral process should be handled through
the existing legal mechanisms.”
Cameroonian government officials have dismissed Kamto’s remarks as a
“non-event,” with one minister labelling him an “outlaw”.
By law, each polling station must submit its results for verification to
the Elecam electoral commission and then to the Constitutional Court which is
responsible for announcing the final tally within 15 days of the vote in
which 85-year-old President Paul Biya sought reelection.
But a raft of unofficial results from Cameroon’s nearly 25,000 polling
stations have already begun circulating on social media.
On Monday, Joshua Osih, candidate for the main opposition Social
Democratic Front (SDF) party, had said it was “a bit premature to be giving
results” and called on his seven fellow candidates to “respect the law”.
And the US embassy in Yaounde also called “on all parties to wait until
the official results are announced before making pronouncements about the
supposed winner,” in a post on its verified Facebook account.
BSS/AFP/RY/20:02 hrs