United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres has urged all Cameroonians to exercise their democratic rights in Sunday’s presidential elections, adding that they should be peaceful, credible and inclusive.  

In a statement from his spokesperson, the UN chief also called on all stakeholders to “exercise restraint before, during and after the election”.

Nine candidates are contesting the elections to the country’s highest body, according to media reports.

In the statement, the Secretary-General condemned all threats of violence or acts of intimidation by any group and reiterated that all grievances should be addressed through inclusive dialogue.

Insecurity is a concern in Cameroon in the country’s north, as a result of activities of the Boko Haram terrorist group, and according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, there are some 160 000 persons displaced across the country – a majority of them in the south-west.