Cameroon’s election commission on Friday called for the sacking of its own director, accusing him of “opaque and calamitous management” ahead of this year’s presidential and parliamentary votes, in an internal note seen by AFP.

The election commission Elecam said it had withdrawn support for its head, Abdoulaye Babale, and that he should be removed from his position by presidential decree.

In a letter to President Paul Biya last week, Elecam employees accused Babale of embezzling 2.76 billion CFA francs ($4.9 million) from the electoral body.

In Friday’s missive, Elecam accuses the commission chief of “opaque and calamitous management of human resources, materials and finances” as well as frequent absences, adding that his behaviour was affecting staff morale ahead of the elections due to take place before the end of the year.