The 18 candidates for the October 9, 2011 presidential election who lodged 19 petitions against the rejection of their nomination papers at the Constitutional Council, are anxiously waiting for the final verdict. This is because candidates whose claims will be accepted by the Supreme Court acting as the Constitutional Council, will join the 21 candidates the Electoral Board of Elections Cameroon retained for the October poll.
Section 63 of the law of May 6, 2011 to lay down conditions governing the vacancy of and election to the Presidency of the Republic, states that, “In case of objections or petitions relating to the rejection or acceptance of nomination papers as well as those relating to the colour, initials or emblem adopted by a candidate, the Constitutional Council, before which the matter is brought, shall rule in within a maximum period of 10 days following the filing of the petition”. This means that the candidates who filed petitions at the Constitutional Council are expecting a ruling latest Wednesday, September 21, 2011.
Judicial sources say candidates whose claims will be accepted, will join the 21 candidates already bracing up for the race to the presidency. Paragraph 3 of the law of May 6, 2011 specifies that, “Any decision following a petition against a rejection or acceptance of a candidature as well as that relating to the colour, initial and/or emblem shall be notified forthwith to the Electoral Board and to the political party concerned”. The ruling of the Constitutional Council will not only be decisive to the candidates who filed petitions but also Elections Cameroon. Section 58 of the law of May 6, 2011 states that, “Not less than 20 days to the opening of the poll, the Electoral Board shall draw up and publish the list of candidates. It shall forthwith notify the Constitutional Council of such publication”. Following the law, the list of candidates is expected to be published beginning Monday, September 19, 2011.
The Constitutional Council is currently processing the 19 petitions ahead of the public hearings during which it will rule on each of the petitions. The campaign materials of the 21 initially retained candidates are being printed by the Cameroon News and Publishing Corporation (SOPECAM) and the National Printing Press. Should the Constitutional Council accept any of the claims, the candidates campaign material will also have to be printed.
