Cameroon’s Constitutional Council has disqualified Maurice Kamto, President Paul Biya’s most prominent challenger, from the upcoming October 12 presidential election.

Kamto, 71, was seeking to run under the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy (MANIDEM) after resigning from the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC) in June.

Council President Clement Atangana ruled Kamto’s appeal admissible but declared it “unfounded,” stating his candidacy failed to meet the legal criteria required.

Under Cameroon’s electoral code, only parties with elected MPs or municipal councillors may field presidential candidates criteria MANIDEM does not meet.

The MRC, which Kamto represented in 2018 when he placed second to Biya, boycotted the 2020 legislative and municipal elections, rendering it ineligible.