Cameroon's constitutional council has upheld the decision by the country's electoral body to exclude opposition leader Maurice Kamto from the 12 October presidential election.
While the firebrand political figure was sidelined, 92-year-old President Paul Biya whose candidacy also faced opposition, was cleared to run for what would be his eighth term in the oil-rich Central African nation.
If he were elected for another seven-year term, he could remain in power until he was almost 100.
Kamto was ruled out because a rival faction of the Manidem party which endorsed him presented another individual as a candidate, highlighting an internal squabble.
His exclusion sparked outrage, with his lawyers describing the rejection of his petition as more of a political than a legal move.
