Issa Tchiroma Bakary, Cameroonian opposition leader and runner up in last month’s presidential election, has fled to The Gambia after weeks of mounting pressure and violent unrest at home.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Gambia’s Ministry of Information said Tchiroma arrived in the country on November 7and is being accommodated “purely on humanitarian grounds” to ensure his safety. The government added that it is working with regional partners including Nigeria to support “a peaceful and negotiated outcome” to Cameroon’s post-election crisis.
Tchiroma’s spokesperson, Alice Nkom, also confirmed his presence in Gambia, reiterating that the opposition leader maintains he won the October 12 presidential election.
Cameroon’s opposition has rejected the official results that declared Biya the world’s oldest sitting president at 92 the victor. Tchiroma has urged Cameroonians to reject the announcement, insisting that the vote was neither free nor credible.
The Cameroonian government, however, has accused Tchiroma of making “repeated calls for insurrection”, and has said it plans to initiate legal proceedings against him.
Tchiroma denied encouraging violence and blamed the security agencies for heavy handed crackdowns. He has repeatedly said he will resist Biya’s government until what he calls his “victory” is recognized.
Violent protests broke out in several opposition strongholds, including the commercial capital Douala and northern cities such as Maroua and Garoua, following the results’ announcement. While the government reported 16 deaths, opposition groups and human rights organizations estimate that more than 55 people were killed.