CAMEROONIAN opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who is contesting the outcome of the presidential election, has fled to The Gambia for his safety, The Gambian government has said.
Tchiroma Bakary has insisted he is the legitimate winner of the 12 October election, alleging that the result was rigged to give President Paul Biya, 92, an eighth term.
The Gambian information ministry said on Sunday that Tchiroma Bakary arrived on 7 November and was allowed to stay on humanitarian grounds.
Cameroon’s government had threatened to put him on trial for allegedly inciting violent post-election demonstrations. He denied the allegation, and blamed the security forces for a crackdown on protesters.
The government put the number of people killed in post-election violence at 16, but other organisations have given a higher death toll.
Tchiroma Bakary has repeatedly promised to resist Biya’s government until his “victory” in the election is recognised.
Biya, the world’s oldest president, has been in power for 43 years, and was declared the winner with 53.7% of the vote amid allegations of fraud.
Tchiroma Bakary, who served in Biya’s government for many years, came second with 35.2%.
His resistance tactics have included calling for street protests and “ghost town” operations aimed at bringing cities and towns to a standstill.
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Until The Gambian government confirmed his presence, his whereabouts had remained a mystery although there was speculation that he had fled to another country in the region.
“He is being hosted temporarily in The Gambia purely on humanitarian grounds in the spirit of African solidarity and for the purpose of ensuring his safety while discussions continue to pursue a peaceful and diplomatic resolution to the post-electoral tensions in Cameroon,” The Gambian government said in a statement.
The Gambian authorities said the country would not be used as a “base for subversive activity against any state”.
The BBC has reached out to the Cameroonian government for comment.
Reacting to the announcement, The Gambia’s main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) criticised the government for withholding the announcement of Tchiroma Bakary’s arrival until Sunday.
It said it raised “serious questions about transparency, accountability, and respect for The Gambian people’s right to know what actions are taken in their name”.
However, the party said it was proud that Tchiroma Bakary could find “safe sanctuary” in The Gambia, adding that it was fully aware of how “despotism operates and how dissenters are treated”.