Cameroonian opposition leader Tchiroma Bakary flees Gambia

Cameroonian opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who is contesting the results of the presidential election, has fled to Gambia for safety, the Gambian government said.

Tchiroma Bakary insists he is the legitimate winner of the Oct. 12 election and accuses the results of being rigged to give 92-year-old President Paul Biya an eighth term.

Gambia’s Information Ministry said on Sunday that Tchiroma Bakary arrived on November 7 and was allowed to stay for humanitarian reasons.

Cameroon’s government had threatened to put him on trial for allegedly inciting violent post-election demonstrations. He denied the accusation and accused security forces of cracking down on protesters.

The government puts the death toll from post-election violence at 16, but other groups put the death toll higher.

Chiroma Bakari has repeatedly pledged to boycott Biya’s government until his electoral “victory” is recognized.

Biya is the oldest president in the world. He has been in power for 43 years. He was elected with 53.7% of the vote due to accusations of fraud.

Tchiroma Bakary, who has served in the Biya government for many years, ranked second with 35.2%.

His resistance tactics included calls for street protests and “ghost town” operations aimed at paralyzing towns.

Until the Gambian government confirms his presence, his whereabouts remain a mystery, despite speculation that he has fled to another country in the region.

“Purely for humanitarian reasons, in the spirit of African solidarity and to ensure his safety, he is temporarily hosted in The Gambia while discussions continue to resolve the post-election tensions in Cameroon through peaceful and diplomatic means,” the Gambian government said in a statement.

Gambian authorities said the country would not be used as a “base for subversive activities against any country.”

The BBC has contacted the Cameroonian government for comment.

Gambia’s main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) reacted to the news, criticizing the government for not announcing Chiroma Bakari’s arrival until Sunday.

It said this raised “serious questions about transparency, accountability and respect for the right of the Gambian people to know what actions are being taken on their behalf”.

However, the party said it was proud that Chiloma Bakari had found “safe haven” in The Gambia, adding that it was fully aware of “how authoritarianism works and the treatment of dissidents”.