Cameroon opposition leader flees to Gambia for ‘safety’ after disputed vote

Issa Tchiroma Bakary, the opposition leader of Cameroon, has fled to The Gambia “for the purpose of ensuring his safety” following the recent presidential election, which saw the resumption of Paul Biya’s rule amid fierce protests.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Gambian government confirmed that it was holding Tchiroma “temporarily” there on “humanitarian grounds” while working toward a “peaceful and diplomatic resolution” to the country’s post-electoral tensions.

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Following the disputed election in October, The Gambia worked with regional partners like Nigeria to “support a peaceful and negotiated outcome,” according to the statement posted on the office of Gambian President Adama Barrow’s Facebook page.

Biya, the oldest head of state in the world, received 53.7 percent of the vote, compared to 35.2% for Tchiroma, a former government minister leading the Cameroon National Salvation Front, who received the results of official election results.

However, Tchiroma, who claimed voter tampering, claimed he was the real winner. He later claimed that this was a constitutional coup that was both flagrant and shameful. It was electoral theft.

The opposition leader repeatedly exhorted supporters to stage “dead city” protests by closing shops and halting other public events.

Despite the opposition and civil society organizations’ claims, the Cameroonian government has confirmed that at least five people were killed during the demonstrations.

Tchiroma has been accused of making repeated calls for insurrection by the government, which the government has stated it intends to bring.

Following a constitutional amendment that removed term limits in 2008, Biya came to power in 1982 after the first president of Cameroon resigned.