Cameroon’s opposition leader Issa Tchiroma declared victory late Monday in the country’s October 12 presidential election, urging longtime President Paul Biya to accept defeat and “honour the truth of the ballot box.”
“Our victory is clear. It must be respected,” Tchiroma said in a live address streamed from his hometown of Garoua in northern Cameroon. “The people have chosen, and this choice must be respected.”
Tchiroma, a former government spokesperson and employment minister in his late seventies, broke away from Biya’s ruling party earlier this year. His campaign — backed by a coalition of opposition parties and civic groups — drew large crowds and energized voters frustrated by decades of economic stagnation and political dominance by Biya.
However, Biya’s Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) swiftly dismissed Tchiroma’s self-declared victory. Without naming him directly, the party condemned the statement as a “grotesque hoax,” insisting that only the Constitutional Council has the authority to declare official results.
“It is an inadmissible act in a state governed by the rule of law,” said CPDM spokesperson Jacques Fame Ndongo in a statement on Tuesday.
The Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, also criticized Tchiroma’s announcement, warning that the government would uphold public order and protect citizens and property during the post-election period.
President Biya, 92, the world’s oldest serving head of state, is seeking an eighth term after more than 43 years in power. Analysts had predicted that Biya’s firm control over state institutions and a divided opposition would give him a strong advantage despite mounting discontent across the country.
In his address, Tchiroma commended voters for their determination, saying many had remained at polling stations late into the night to guard their ballots. “I thank the candidates who have already sent me their congratulations and recognised the will of the people,” he said.
He warned the ruling elite against rejecting the people’s verdict: “We have placed the regime before its responsibilities — either it shows greatness by accepting the truth of the ballot box, or it chooses to plunge the country into turmoil that will leave an indelible scar in the heart of our nation.”
Under Cameroon’s electoral law, results are first posted publicly at polling stations, but the Constitutional Council has until October 26 to announce the final outcome. Tchiroma said his campaign would soon publish a region-by-region compilation of tallies gathered from posted results.
“This victory is not that of one man or one party. It is the victory of a people,” Tchiroma declared.
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He also appealed to the military, security forces, and civil servants to remain loyal to “the republic, not the regime.”
Ahead of the vote, Minister Atanga Nji had cautioned that any unauthorized publication of election results would constitute “high treason.”
Cameroon’s single-round election system awards the presidency to the candidate with the most votes. More than 8 million registered voters participated in the poll, which could mark a pivotal moment in the Central African nation’s political history.
Source:Africa Publicity
