Reactions from the ruling and opposition parties in Cameroon have been pouring in after the announcement of the date of the presidential election, set for October 7 this year.
Cameroon politicians react as Biya announces election date
Some opposition supporters have criticised the move.
“It is difficult to understand that in a democratic country, the President of the Republic expected to be candidate during the elections holds the exclusive right to choose the date for an election. In other countries where democracy is ideal, the date of the presidential election is known at least twelve months in advance, “ a leading opposition spokesman Robert Wafo said.
According to members of the ruling CPDM party in Cameroon the president acted in accordance with the law.
“I am not surprised. The head of state is a legalist, a republican, he does it within the framework of the law, he respects the deadlines and he did well to convene this presidential election, which must be a great moment of republican truth, because the sovereign people will choose democratically and within the framework of the laws of the Republic, the destiny that he wants,” CPDM supporter Hervé Emmanuel Nkom said.
Biya to seek another term?
President Paul Biya, who has already served 35 years in power, did not announce whether he would run for a seventh re-election, but his supporters present him as the “ideal” candidate of the presidential majority.
The main opposition party, the Social Democratic Front, has already nominated Joshua Osih as its candidate.
Other candidates have already declared themselves, including the lawyer and former vice-president of Transparency International, Akere Muna, former student leader of a citizens movement Cabral Libii and renowned jurist Maurice Kamto.
Opposition parties in Cameroon have not succeeded to form a coalition.