Yaoundé, Cameroon – Cameroon’s opposition challenger Issa Tchiroma Bakary on Tuesday claimed victory in the presidential election, challenging incumbent President Paul Biya, who has been in power for 43 years. The declaration comes nearly three days after Sunday’s vote, with official results not expected for two weeks.
Tchiroma posted on Facebook, stating, “Our victory is clear. It must be respected,” and called on the government to “accept the truth of the ballot box” or risk “plung[ing] the country into turmoil.” The former employment minister promised to publish detailed regional results, asserting, “The people have chosen.”
The government, however, has maintained that the final results must be announced by the country’s Constitutional Council, referring to this as a “red line that must not be crossed.” While local tally sheets are permitted to be published, only the Council has the authority to declare the ultimate winner.
The victory claim carries an ominous precedent. In the 2018 presidential election, opposition challenger Maurice Kamto also declared himself the winner the day after the vote. His subsequent arrest and the dispersal of his supporters’ rallies with tear gas and water cannons led to dozens of arrests.
Biya, the world’s oldest serving head of state, is vying to extend his decades-long tenure. However, Tchiroma has generated unexpected enthusiasm among voters in the central African nation, setting up a fierce duel. Supporters on both sides are now claiming victory, fueled by images of tally sheets and blackboards circulating on social media.
(AFP)
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