Cameroon: As polling continues, a candidate gives Biya support
One of the 23 presidential candidates in Cameroon’s election Daniel Soh Fone of the PSU party has pulled out of the race, asking his supporters to instead vote for President Paul Biya.
Meanwhile, as voting continues, incumbent Biya is appealing to his citizens to be patient and understanding with the electoral commission.
Biya said on Sunday that he was pleased with the commission and urged Cameroonians to allow it to do its job.
The incumbent is one of Africa's longest serving heads of state, who has been leading the oil producing nation for 29 years now.
By the close of polling, some 7.5 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots, 2.5 million more than in the 2005 election.
WADR’s special reporters in the country say, though some polling stations opened late, voters waited patiently to cast their ballot and the situation is so far generally calm.
But in Cameroon’s northwest province of Bamenda, a man has been caught in possession of over 20 voters’ cards. That sparked tension after the man was beaten up by citizens before being rescued by security forces.
A WADR reporter in Cameroon’s commercial capital, Duoula said apart from incumbent President Paul Biya and his main rival, John Fru Ndi, most of the 23 presidential candidates are not well known.
He said last week’s shoot out among some security forces in the city was having a great impact on the mood of voters, with some feeling apprehensive about security.
One of the opposition candidates who was disqualified from the race claimed responsibility for the violence, but he’s yet to be arrested, our reporter says.
In another development, coalition of peasant farmers and consumers say they have signed a pact with 17 of the 23 presidential candidates about their commitment to the development of agriculture in the country.
Bernard Njonga, a rights activist with the group, ACDIC told WADR that the fate of peasant farmers is at stake, with President Biya’s failure to sign the pact, since he’s widely believed to emerge as winner of Sunday’s election.
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