Atanga Nji in Bamenda March 22, 2020 Facebook
Cameroon’s Minister of Territorial Administration, Atanga Nji Paul says the parliamentary election rerun Sunday, March 22, 2020 in some parts of the North West and South West Regions went on without any major incident, despite reports of gunshots in some places.
Based on exit-poll reports from Administrative Authorities, the Minister of Territorial Administration, Government’s Agent in the electoral process, stated unequivocally that Sunday's “polls were calm, free and fair.”
At the close of the polls, Minister Atanga Nji said: “No major incident likely to affect the smooth conduct of this by-election or its credibility has been reported by administrative authorities and law enforcement officers. Like in the past, Administrative Authorities, alongside defence and security forces, provided ELECAM with appropriate security coverage in its mission, and this, to the satisfaction of all the political stakeholders involved. Accredited observers, who opted to go to the field, did their work freely. Results will be proclaimed by the Constitutional Council, the only body vested with the powers to do so.”
Sunday’s election rerun follows Constitutional Council decision no. 29/SRCER/G/20 of February 25, 2020 to cancel the election of Members of Parliament in the following eleven constituencies: North West Region – Menchum North, Bui West, Mezam South, Bui Centre, Bui South, Mezam Centre, Momo East, Menchum South, Momo West and Mezam North – and South West Region – Lebialem.
The partial annulment of the outcome of the February 9, 2020 legislative elections came after the opposition Social Democratic Front, SDF, seized the Constitutional Council citing irregularities that breached laws relating to elections in the country.
SDF lawyers and candidates had prayed the Constitutional Council to partially annul the elections on grounds of insecurity, and the creation of polling centres which disenfranchised their voters.
At press time Sunday night, reports talked of gunshots in Santa, Batibo (Momo West) and Mbengwi (Momo East) as polls timidly unfolded. Armed separatists in these areas are said to have engaged defence and security forces in desperate efforts to frustrate the election.
Late Sunday evening, a 15-minute sustained gun battle was reported around the vicinity hosting the GMI polling station in Bamenda. Defense and security forces are said to have repelled armed separatist rebels who sought to ruin the polls. A video that went viral on social media showed some persons at the polling station prostrating as gunshots could be heard.
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