Cameroon opposition claims election win

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Maurice Kamto, Cameroon's opposition candidate, claimed victory on Monday in the country's presidential election despite a government warning not to announce unofficial results.

"I was charged with taking a penalty, I took it and I scored," Kamto said at a news conference.

"I invite the outgoing president to organize a peaceful way to transfer power," he added.

Gregoire Owona, secretary general of the ruling-Cameroon People's Democratic Movement, accused Kamto of breaking the law.

Cameroon's incumbent President Paul Biya (C) casts his ballot in a polling station in Yaounde, October 7, 2018. /VCG Photo

"It is not right at all to announce this. He hasn't won anything at all. It's totally illegal," Owona said, adding that it was too early to say if anyone had won.

By law, each polling station must submit its results, after verification by the Elecam electoral commission, to the Constitutional Court, which is responsible for announcing the final official tally within 15 days.

Opposition candidates had called on their supporters to oversee the tallying process to prevent any fraud that might favor President Paul Biya's quest for re-election.

Ahead of the polls, in which 6.5 million voters were eligible to cast ballots, Kamto warned he would not accept any result tainted by fraud.

(Cover: Cameroon's opposition candidate Maurice Kamto reacts as he holds a news conference in Yaounde, Cameroon, October 8, 2018. /VCG Photo)