Cameroon's ruling party declared winner

Yaounde - Cameroon's Supreme Court says President Paul Biya's party retained its control of the National Assembly in last month's elections.

Results revealed on Thursday showed the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement took 148 of 180 seats. The Social Democratic Front led by John Fru Ndi came in second with 18 seats.

The court is the body that ratifies the results.

Biya marks 31 years in office next month. His party has won elections going back to Cameroon's first multiparty vote in 1992, though fraud allegations are common.

Opposition candidates claimed this year that a new biometric voter registration system was vulnerable to fraud and criticized the government for the late distribution of campaign funds.

Biya has said the 30 September vote showcased the democratic "maturity" of this African nation of 21 million.