237Vote: Constitutional Council clears 23 petitions on first day of post election hearings

The Constitutional Council began hearings of litigations from the February 9 legislative election this Monday, February 24, 2019. A total of 40 post electoral petitions had been submitted by 13 political parties that took part in election.

They include:

SDF : 16 petitions
CPDM: 5
NUDP: 5
UDP: 3
ANDP: 2
UNIVERS: 2
MPCN: 1
PCRN:1
BRIC:1
UMS: 1
Offre Orange:1
RNDD : 1
PURS: 1

The proceedings

The members of the Constitutional Council led by its President, Clement Atangana entered the audience hall at 11am and we’re greeted by a detachment of the National Gendarmerie.

The President of the council then declared the session open, stating that the petitions will be heard in a random order.
The hearings kicked off with petitions number 39 submitted by 7 Lucien Wantou Siantou of the CPDM against UMS and ELECAM.
Just like in all other cases that followed, a Constitutional Council reads a report which contains the petition and submissions by the parties concerned before proposing a judge; inadmissible in most cases.
The President of the Constitutional Council then gives room different parties to deliver their observations. Parties and their lawyers will then take turns to defend their positions in from of the council.
After several minutes of submissions by the different parties to the petition, the Constitutional Council passes it’s verdict which is final and there is no room for appeal.

The verdicts from the Constitutional Council

In the case involving Wantoun Siantou, the council declared the plea for the partial cancellation of elections inadmissible for late filing by Mr Siantou.

The petition of Angelo Toueli of PCRN against CPDM, PADDEC, SDF, UPC, ELECAM that followed was also deemed inadmissible as unfounded.

Ernest Pekeuho Tchoffo of BRIC party petitioned against CPDM, SDF UDP, ELECAM and MINAT in Mezam North. He arguements were not solid enough to the Constitutional Council that declared his petition inadmissible.

UDP’s Amina Belo of Ndonga Mantung West in the North West region whoes candidature had been dropped during the Pre-electoral hearings filed against ELECAM, MINAT arguing that she was not notified and her ballot papers were not present in polling stations. The litigation was declared inadmissible for lack of locus standi.

The ANDP’s demand for the annulment of legislative election in Ndonga Mantung West was also thrown away.

The petition of Babbada Moctar of NUDP against CPDM for the annulment of legislative election in Mayo Banyo was declared admissible but rejected for lack of justification.

The constitutional council judged as inadmissible the petition of Terde Ridai of the CPDM against NUDP, ELECAM and MINAT in Mayo-Tsanaga Sud-East at Hina for lack of legal backing.

Constitutional Council rejected the petition filed by Dimi Ottou of NADP against ELECAM and MINAT in the Dja and Lobo for non respect of deadline

It also rejected the petition by Douvaouissa Issa Hamadi of the NUDP against the CPDM, FSNC, ELECAM, MINAT in the Mayo Louti as unjustified.

Constitutional Council declared the petition of Honourable Joseph Mbah Ndam of the SDF for the cancellation of February 9 elections in the North West and South West regions inadmissible for lack of locus standi. After the decision that council went on recess.

The Constitutional Council resumed hearings for post election petitions at about 8pm after a one hour recess.
The Council began pass passing judgement on some cases that were on deliberation. It rejected the petition Mbang Suffer Gilbert of the UDP against SDF, ELECAM, MINAT for lack of legal backing. As well as that of the CPDM against the CDU in the noun division.

The Constitutional Council also rejected the petition of Nkou Mvondo, of UNIVERS party against ELECAM, MINAT, CPDM and PCRN in Mefou Akono as unjustified.

The second petition of Nkou Mvondo, of UNIVERS party against ELECAM, MINAT, CPDM and UNDP in Vina was also classified as unjustified

The first day of hearings ended at about 00:30am with over 23 petitions thrown out for late submission, lack of legal backing, or no justification.
Hearings continue this Tuesday as from 11am.

Elvis Teke

Elvis Teke

Journalist, Online Reporter, News Presenter, Programme Anchor, Peace Advocate, Geo-strategist,

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