Cameroon’s main opposition candidate, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, has rejected the official declaration of President Paul Biya as the winner of the October 12 presidential election, describing the process as “a complete sham.”
Naijaonpoint reports that Tchiroma, a former government minister, said the announcement of Biya’s eighth-term victory with 53.7 per cent of the vote was fraudulent and did not reflect the will of the people.
“There was no election; it was rather a masquerade. We won unequivocally,” he told AFP on Monday, October 27, 2025, after the Constitutional Council made its declaration.
Claims of Stolen Mandate
According to the official tally, Tchiroma secured 35.2 per cent of the vote, but he insisted that his own figures showed he had defeated Biya by a wide margin.
“By our count, I won with 54.8 per cent against Biya’s 31.3 per cent. What the council has announced is a falsification of the people’s decision,” he said.
He added that his campaign had prepared Cameroonians for this outcome, urging them to resist through peaceful protest if “distorted results” were declared.
Naijaonpoint understands that protests have already erupted across parts of the country.
According to AFP, in Garoua, the northern stronghold of Tchiroma, a rally outside his residence turned bloody.
“Two protesters were killed while 10 snipers were stationed on rooftops,” Tchiroma alleged, blaming security forces for using deadly force to intimidate his supporters.
In Douala, Cameroon’s economic hub, four people were confirmed dead on Sunday after violent confrontations between security forces and demonstrators. Witnesses said police initially used tear gas but later opened fire with live rounds.
Tight Security Across Cities
In response to the unrest, authorities have banned public gatherings and imposed traffic restrictions in major cities. Security operatives were deployed early on Monday to key intersections and sensitive locations in Yaounde, the capital, where shops and petrol stations were shuttered and residents stayed indoors.
Tchiroma, who campaigned on promises of a transitional government lasting three to five years, said Biya’s decades-long rule has left Cameroon “broken, impoverished and divided.”
“Cameroon deserves a fresh start. The Biya regime has destroyed this nation. We will not accept this stolen mandate,” he declared.
Despite Biya’s official declaration as the winner, opposition supporters continue to pour into the streets, challenging the credibility of the results.
© 2025 Naijaonpoint, a division of NOP Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]