Constitutional council reject Maurice Kamto eligibility for Cameroon president

Cameroon constitutional council don reject di petition of opposition leader Maurice Kamto, wey bin dey excluded from di list of candidates for di October 12 presidential election.

Kamto no go fit appeal dis decision, and e mean say e no go run for di polls against long-time leader Paul Biya.

Im lawyers don accept di ruling, although one of dem, Hyppolyte Tiakouang, note say di "decision weigh more on di political dan legal side".

Oga Kamto bin defend im candidacy as e insist on di complete nature of di file wey e submit to Elecam and bin urge di constitutional council to make fair decision.

"We believe say di elements raised during di hearings fit make di constitutional council reverse di decision wey di electoral body take," Desiré Sikati, one of di lawyers wey dey represent Maurice Kamto, tell BBC.

For one earlier opening session, di council bin dismiss several petitions, wey include one from one local elected official from Biya ruling CPDM wey dey contest di candidacy of di 92-year-old president.

Brief background

For July, di Electoral Commission (Elecam) bin exclude Oga Kamto name from di official list of presidential candidates wey dem clear to run for di 12 October vote.

Elecam say di disqualification na sake of say di Movement for New Independence and Democracy party wey sponsor Oga Kamto candidature field more dan one presidential candidate for di election.

Di electoral commission bin clear only 13 candidates out of di 83 wey wan run for di election.

Pipo see Oga Kamto wey come second for di 2018 presidential election, as potential strong challenger to di incumbent President Paul Biya.

Di Constitutional Council get di final say for electoral disputes.

Di dismissal of Kamto petition fit spark tensions for di middle of concerns say some pipo dey try prevent di firebrand opposition figure from challenging im former boss for di polls.

Why Elecam exclude Oga Maurice Kamto name

Dem exclude Kamto sake of say e be one of two candidates wey dey registered to represent di Manidem party.

Even though di party ruling body bin don officially adopt am, anoda candidate from a splinter group also register imsef under di party name.

Manidem president Anicet Ekane describe Kamto exclusion as "arbitrary and provocative".

"We call on all Cameroonians to show calm and restraint becos for di moment, na only offside goal. We must resolve dis mata and we don carry am go di Constitutional Council," e add.

Oga Kamto na di candidate for di Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) for 2018 but dem no allow di party to endorse anybody dis year sake of say dem lack elected representatives for parliament or local councils.

So Kamto just recently join di Manidem party, wey get local representation.

Renowned anti-corruption lawyer Akere Muna, Social Democratic Front (SDF) leader Joshua Osih, and lawmaker Cabral Libii dey among di oda candidates wey dey cleared to run.

Firebrand Mayor of Foumban Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya na di only female candidate on di list.