YAOUNDE: Cameroon’s main opposition candidate, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, on Tuesday declared himself winner of Sunday’s presidential election, claiming victory over 92-year-old President Paul Biya, the ruling party’s candidate, even as official results are not expected for another two weeks.
“Our victory is clear and must be respected, Tchiroma announced in a statement shared on Facebook, urging the government to “accept the truth of the ballot box or risk plunging the country into turmoil.
The opposition leader also vowed to release detailed results by region, insisting that “the people have chosen.
Although tally sheets from polling stations may be made public, the Constitutional Council remains the only body legally empowered to declare the final results a boundary the government has described as a red line that must not be crossed.
The announcement has rekindled memories of the 2018 presidential election, when opposition leader Maurice Kamto also declared himself winner against Biya. Kamto was later arrested, and his supporters’ protests were dispersed with tear gas and water cannons.
Biya, who has ruled the Central African nation for 43 years, is the world’s oldest serving head of state.
His decision to seek another term at 92 has drawn both criticism and concern, with many Cameroonians expressing fatigue over his decades-long rule.
Meanwhile, former Employment Minister Tchiroma has generated surprising enthusiasm among voters, especially the youth, setting the stage for a fiercely contested race.
Images of handwritten result sheets and blackboard tallies have flooded social media, with both Biya’s and Tchiroma’s supporters claiming victory as tensions rise across the country.
As Cameroonians await the Constitutional Council’s verdict, observers have called for calm, transparency, and respect for the democratic process.
