Cameroonian opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary has declared himself the winner of the country’s October 12 presidential election, despite official results not being due for at least two more weeks.
Tchiroma, the candidate of the Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon (FNSC), made the announcement via social media on Tuesday, challenging the long-standing rule of President Paul Biya, who has led the Central African nation for more than four decades.
“Our victory is clear. It must be respected,” Tchiroma wrote in a Facebook post, urging the government to accept what he described as the truth of the ballot box.”
He warned that failure to acknowledge the outcome could “plunge the country into turmoil.”
Although the national electoral commission has yet to release official tallies from Sunday’s vote, Tchiroma vowed to publish his party’s compiled results, broken down by region, in the coming days.
President Paul Biya, 92, is seeking an eighth term in office after 43 years in power, making him one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world.
His re-election bid has drawn criticism from opposition parties and international observers, many of whom have raised concerns about the democratic process and the limited political space in the country.
The political atmosphere in Cameroon has remained tense ahead of the official results.
In the weeks leading up to the election, human rights groups and observers reported a crackdown on dissent, limited press freedom, and restrictions on opposition campaigns.
As of press time, there has been no response from the government or the electoral commission regarding Tchiroma’s declaration.
The coming days are likely to test Cameroon’s political stability, particularly if the opposition continues to dispute any results favouring the incumbent.
