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Gambia said it was temporarily hosting Cameroonian opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary on humanitarian grounds following a contested presidential election in Cameroon last month that led to deadly protests.Paul Biya, at 92 the world's oldest head of state, was named winner of last month's election in Cameroon with 53.66% of the vote against 35.19% for Tchiroma.Tchiroma had declared himself the winner before the official results were announced, and protests erupted in various locations as early results showed Biya, in power since 1982, would secure an eighth term.Cameroon's security forces killed 48 civilians as they responded to the protests, UN sources told Reuters this month. Tchiroma's whereabouts had not been known for weeks.In a statement issued late on Sunday, Gambia's information ministry said the country was sheltering Tchiroma "purely on humanitarian grounds, in the spirit of African solidarity" to ensure his safety amid efforts to resolve "post-electoral tensions".Banjul is consulting with regional partners, including Nigeria, to support a negotiated outcome to the crisis in Cameroon, the statement said.The statement also reaffirmed Gambia's commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all African Union member states and said its territory would not be used as a base for subversive activities against any country.In a separate statement on Sunday, Gambia's main opposition United Democratic Party accused the government of a lack of transparency over Tchiroma's "quiet arrival" but added it was in full solidarity with Tchiroma and welcomed the humanitarian gesture.

The world's oldest head of state, Paul Biya, extended his more than four-decade rule, securing an eighth term in Cameroon's presidential poll, the Constitutional Council announced Monday, results which his rival swiftly rejected.Biya, 92, was re-elected with 53.7 percent of the vote in the central African country, according to official results announced by the council, while former government minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary came second with 35.2 percent.Tchiroma quickly denounced the announcement of Biya's win, telling AFP that "there was no election; it was rather a masquerade. We won unequivocally".Tchiroma had claimed victory against the incumbent two days after the October 12 election, and called for demonstrations.A rally outside his home in the northern city of Garoua turned deadly, he told AFP Monday, adding that two protesters were killed while some 10 snipers were posted on rooftops.An AFP reporter on the ground saw one man shot, but AFP could not verify whether he died.On Sunday, four people were killed in clashes between security forces and supporters of the opposition in the economic capital Douala, according to the region's governor.Security forces initially used tear gas before firing "live ammunition", protesters told AFP.Voter turnout stood at 46.3 percent, according to the official results announced 15 days after the election.Cabral Libii came in third place with 3.4 percent, followed by Bello Bouba Maigari with 2.5 percent, and Hermine Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya, the only woman candidate, with 1.7 percent.The other eight candidates each received less than one percent of the vote.Public gatherings have been banned and traffic restricted in most major cities in the country since polling day.But since last week, supporters of Tchiroma have taken to the streets to defend his claim of victory.Citing his own tally, he claimed to have won 54.8 percent of the votes against 31.3 percent for Biya.Tchiroma reaffirmed his certainty of having won the race in a speech last Wednesday, and called on Cameroonians to protest if the Constitutional Council announced "falsified and distorted results".From the early hours of Monday morning, police and security officials were stationed at major intersections and sensitive sites across the capital Yaounde.Police said they intended to "ensure the security of the electoral process and prevent any unrest".Many shops and gas stations were shuttered for fear of clashes, while traffic remained unusually light.Most analysts expected Biya to secure another seven-year term in a system that critics say is rigged.Biya is only the second person to lead Cameroon since independence from France in 1960.He has ruled with an iron fist, repressing all political and armed opposition, and holding onto power in the face of social upheaval, economic inequality and separatist violence.Tchiroma's election manifesto promised a transition period of three to five years to rebuild the country, which he said Biya had destroyed.

Biya, 92, seeks eighth term in officeTchiroma says 'our victory is clear'Official results expected by October 26Cameroon opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma declared victory late on Monday in the country's October 12 presidential election, urging President Paul Biya to accept defeat and "honour the truth of the ballot box"."Our victory is clear. It must be respected," Tchiroma said in a speech on his Facebook page from his hometown of Garoua in the north of the Central African state. "The people have chosen. And this choice must be respected."Tchiroma, a former government spokesperson and employment minister in his late seventies, broke ranks with Biya earlier this year and mounted a campaign that drew large crowds and endorsements from a coalition of opposition parties and civic groups.Without naming Tchiroma, Biya's Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) on Tuesday condemned the self-declared victory as a "grotesque hoax," adding that only the Constitutional Council is enabled to proclaim results.It is "an inadmissible act in a state governed by the rule of law," CPDM spokesperson Jacques Fame Ndongo said in a statement.The Minister of Territorial Administration also criticized Tchiroma in a separate statement and promised to maintain public order and ensure the protection of people and their property during the electoral period.Biya, 92, the world's oldest serving head of state, is seeking an eighth term after 43 years in power. Analysts had expected his control over state institutions and a fragmented opposition to give him an edge in the election, despite growing public discontent over economic stagnation and insecurity.Tchiroma praised voters for defying intimidation and staying at polling stations late into the night to protect their ballots."I also thank candidates who have already sent me their congratulations and recognised the will of the people," Tchiroma said."We have placed the regime before its responsibilities: either it shows greatness by accepting the truth of the ballot box, or it chooses to plunge the country into turmoil that will leave an indelible scar in the heart of our nation," he warned.Cameroon's electoral law allows results to be published and posted at polling stations, but final tallies must be validated by the Constitutional Council, which has until October 26 to announce the outcome.Tchiroma said he would soon release a region-by-region breakdown of vote tallies compiled from publicly posted results."This victory is not that of one man, nor of one party. It is the victory of a people," he said.He also called on the military, security forces and government administrators to remain loyal to the "republic, not the regime".Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji warned over the weekend that any unilateral publication of results would be considered "high treason."Cameroon's single-round electoral system awards the presidency to the candidate with the most votes. More than 8 million people were registered to vote in the election.