Cameroon’s opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma has declared victory in the October 12 presidential election, calling on long-serving President Paul Biya to respect the will of the people and accept defeat.
“Our victory is clear. It must be respected,” Tchiroma announced in a Facebook address from his hometown of Garoua, located in northern Cameroon. “The people have chosen, and this choice must be honoured.”
Tchiroma, a former government spokesperson and employment minister, parted ways with Biya earlier this year to launch a spirited presidential campaign backed by a coalition of opposition parties and civic groups. His rallies drew large crowds across the country.
However, Biya’s ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) swiftly dismissed Tchiroma’s self-declared victory as a “grotesque hoax,” insisting that only the Constitutional Council has the legal authority to announce official results.
“This is an inadmissible act in a state governed by the rule of law,” CPDM spokesperson Jacques Fame Ndongo said in a statement.
The Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, also criticized Tchiroma’s move, vowing that authorities would maintain order and safeguard citizens and property throughout the electoral period.
President Paul Biya, aged 92 and the world’s oldest serving head of state, is seeking an eighth consecutive term after more than four decades in power. Despite rising public frustration over economic stagnation and insecurity, analysts had predicted Biya’s control over state institutions and a divided opposition would give him an advantage.
In his address, Tchiroma praised voters for their courage in defying intimidation and remaining at polling stations late into the night to protect their votes.
“I also thank candidates who have already sent me their congratulations and recognised the will of the people,” he added.
Tchiroma warned the government against ignoring the outcome of the election:
“Either the regime shows greatness by accepting the truth of the ballot box, or it plunges the country into turmoil that will leave a permanent scar on our nation.”
Under Cameroon’s electoral law, results are posted at polling stations, but final tallies must be validated by the Constitutional Council, which has until October 26 to declare the official outcome.
Tchiroma announced plans to release region-by-region vote counts compiled from publicly displayed results, declaring, “This victory is not that of one man or one party — it is the victory of the people.”
He further called on the military, security agencies, and civil administrators to remain loyal to the republic rather than the regime.
Meanwhile, Minister Atanga Nji has warned that any unauthorized publication of results will be treated as “high treason.”
More than 8 million Cameroonians were registered to vote in the high-stakes, single-round election that could mark a pivotal moment in the nation’s political history.
