CAMEROON: Tchiroma Declares Victory In Presidential Election Ahead Of Official Results 

By Onoja Baba 

Cameroon’s opposition candidate, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, has declared victory in the country’s presidential election held on Sunday, despite official results not expected for another two weeks.

In a post on Facebook on Tuesday, Tchiroma, a former employment minister, claimed that the people had chosen change after more than four decades of President Paul Biya’s rule.

“Our victory is clear. It must be respected. The government must accept the truth of the ballot box or risk plunging the country into turmoil,” he wrote.

Tchiroma also announced plans to publish detailed results by region, insisting that the opposition’s win was legitimate and reflected the will of the people.

Under Cameroonian law, candidates and observers are allowed to publish tally sheets, but only the Constitutional Council is empowered to announce final results, a restriction government officials have described as a “red line that must not be crossed.”

The election marks one of the most serious challenges to Biya’s 43-year rule.

The 91-year-old leader, who is the world’s oldest serving head of state, is seeking to extend his tenure amid growing calls for political reform and generational change.

In 2018, opposition leader Maurice Kamto made a similar self-declaration of victory, but was later arrested along with dozens of supporters after security forces dispersed their rallies with tear gas and water cannons.

This year’s poll has seen heightened political tension, with images of handwritten tally sheets and blackboards showing local vote counts circulating widely on social media.

Both Biya’s ruling party and Tchiroma’s campaign have claimed early leads based on unofficial figures.

Tchiroma, who previously served in Biya’s government before breaking away, has gained momentum among younger voters and urban communities frustrated by decades of economic hardship and political stagnation.

International observers have urged calm and restraint as the nation awaits the official announcement of results by the Constitutional Council.