Opposition politician Issa Tchiroma Bakary, the former spokesman of the Cameroonian government, has declared victory in the presidential election held on October 12. His speech was published by Cameroon News Agency (CNA).
In his address to the nation, Tchiroma stated that "the will of the people is clear and must be respected."
"My dear compatriots, today I speak to you with deep emotion and great pride. Together, we are making history. This victory does not belong to any single individual or any single party. It is the victory of the people. It is the victory of Cameroon," he said.
The politician thanked citizens for their "courage and determination" shown on voting day and praised the faith the Cameroonian population had in his electoral victory.
"I saw voters staying at polling stations until late at night, guarding their votes and defending the truthfulness of the election results," Tchiroma noted.
In his speech, the 76-year-old candidate advised the armed forces to "protect the people, not the regime" and called on the incumbent president, Paul Biya, to respect the people's choice and concede defeat.
"We have presented the regime with a choice: either it demonstrates maturity by acknowledging the truthfulness of the vote, or it plunges the country into chaos that will leave an indelible scar on the heart of the nation," the politician warned.
Tchiroma promised to release a detailed report in the coming days, outlining the votes he received across different regions of the country, based on data collected from polling stations both within Cameroon and abroad.
According to CNA, the opposition figure made his victory speech despite a prior warning from Cameroon's Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, who stated that any public announcements before the official results are declared would be considered an act of "subversion." The final election results are expected to be announced by October 26.
In preparation for the vote, Cameroonian authorities closed the country's borders for 48 hours on October 10 to ensure security during the election. The government also restricted domestic travel by road, rail, and air on voting day until 6:00 PM.
The elections commenced on October 12. Officially, ten candidates are vying for the presidency, with several others, including opposition leader Maurice Kamto, having withdrawn from the race. The main contenders are the 92-year-old incumbent President Paul Biya, who has been in power for 43 years, and the 76-year-old former government spokesman and minister of employment, Issa Tchiroma. Prior to the election, the opposition figure held a rally demanding Biya's resignation.
Evgeniya Mylnikova
