Cameroon’s opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary declared himself the winner of the presidential election on Tuesday, challenging President Paul Biya, who has held power for 43 years. Official results from Sunday’s vote are not expected for another two weeks.
“Our victory is undeniable and must be honored,” Tchiroma stated in a Facebook post. He called on the government to “respect the will of the people” or face “potential chaos,” vowing to release detailed regional vote tallies.
“The choice of the people is clear,” he emphasized.
Although tally sheets can be made public, only the Constitutional Council is authorized to announce final results—a boundary the government has described as non-negotiable.
In the 2018 election, opposition candidate Maurice Kamto claimed victory the day after the vote, only to be arrested. His supporters faced tear gas, water cannons, and mass arrests during protests.
At 92, Biya, the world’s oldest serving leader, is seeking an eighth term. Tchiroma, a former employment minister who served under Biya for 20 years before joining the opposition in June, has emerged as a formidable challenger, sparking unexpected enthusiasm among voters. Both camps have claimed victory, with images of tally sheets and blackboards circulating on social media, fueling competing narratives.
A Dynamic Campaign Biya faced 11 challengers, including Tchiroma, who became the leading opposition figure after Kamto was disqualified by the Constitutional Council. Since 1982, Biya has won every election with over 70% of the vote, dominating Cameroon’s political landscape.
Most of the eight million eligible voters have known only Biya’s leadership. Political analyst Stephane Akoa told AFP before the election that the ruling system has “significant resources to secure favorable outcomes.” However, he noted the campaign’s unusual energy in its final days, suggesting the vote could yield surprises.
Biya, who became president when Ronald Reagan was in office and the Cold War was ongoing, has maintained power through tight control, appointing key officials and suppressing opposition. His tenure has weathered social unrest, economic inequality, and separatist conflicts in the central African nation, which gained independence from France in 1960.
