Vote counting is under way in Cameroon following Sunday's presidential election in which incumbent Paul Biya is seeking to extend his 43 years in power.
Biya, who at 92 is the world's oldest head of state, is being challenged by nine candidates. If he wins, it will be his eighth consecutive term in office, with the next election due in 2032.
Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji said that voting took place 'hitch-free' across the country. However, there was a call for a boycott in the English-speaking regions in the west, and clashes were reported in the north.
The final result should be known within 15 days of the vote.
In the run-up to the election, opposition complaints surfaced regarding attempts to suppress their support. Notably, the Constitutional Council barred prominent opposition figure Maurice Kamto from participating.
On election day, followers of leading opponent Issa Tchiroma Bakary clashed with security forces in his stronghold of Garoua, where they used tear gas to disperse crowds after he reported threats against his life.
Interior Minister Nji emphasized that the polls were generally free of major incidents across the country’s ten regions, despite previous incidents of voter intimidation in restive Anglophone areas.
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