Cameroonian Opposition Leader Confronts Court Action Over Electoral Turmoil, Authorities Says
The nation's Minister of the Interior Paul Atanga Nji has announced that political opponent Issa Tchiroma Bakary will face legal action over claims that he instigated "aggressive post-election demonstrations".
A minimum of 4 demonstrators have been lost their lives during confrontations between law enforcement and opposition supporters since the presidential election on 12 October, with 92-year-old President Paul Biya securing an eighth term in office.
The opposition leader asserts that he won the election, a statement rejected by the incumbent party, the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM).
Aggressive responses by police and security officers on demonstrators have alarmed the global community, with the UN, African Union and European Union demanding caution.
Minister's Claims
On Tuesday, the interior minister alleged the opposition figure of organising what he described as "unlawful" rallies resulting in the deaths, and also rebuked him for declaring victory in the electoral contest.
He further stated that Tchiroma Bakary's "associates involved in an subversive plot" will also face legal action.
Poll Figures
The president, who came to power in 1982 and is now the oldest serving president, won the 12 October election with a majority of the ballots, compared to just over a third for Tchiroma Bakary, according to the constitutional court.
Leader's Stance
The opposition figure is yet to respond to the government's decision to try him, but he had earlier stated that he would not accept a fraudulent outcome - and that he was undaunted of being arrested.
When results were announced, he reported that gunmen shot on demonstrators assembled near his house in Garoua, causing the death of at least 2 civilians.
Investigation Revealed
Earlier this week, the government official disclosed that an probe would be started into violent incidents surrounding the announcement of the election results.
"During these attacks, some of the perpetrators died," he stated, without providing a exact count of demonstrators who have been killed in the clashes.
The minister noted that a number of personnel of the security forces also suffered significant wounds.
Current Situation
While the interior minister maintained the state of affairs throughout Cameroon was now stable, demonstrators are still demonstrating in some parts of the country, especially in urban centers, where demonstrators established barricades on that day, and set fire to rubber on the roads.
Analysts alert that the post-electoral violence could plunge the nation into a leadership vacuum.