Cameroon – Cameroonian opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary declared victory in the country’s presidential election held on October 12. He did this before the official results were announced. Tchiroma called on President Paul Biya to “respect the will of the people and the ballot boxes.”
“Our victory is clear and must be respected… The people have chosen their new leadership,” Tchiroma, 76, said. He said this in a Facebook post Tuesday morning from his hometown of Garoua in the north of the country. Moreover, he added that he had already received congratulations from several rival candidates who “recognized the will of the voters.”
Issa Chiroma…a rich history
Tchiroma, who has held several government positions, including former government spokesman and former Minister of Labor, is considered one of the most prominent defectors from Biya’s camp this year. He campaigned with the support of a coalition of opposition parties and civil society organizations. Furthermore, he witnessed significant popular turnout in the north of the country and several urban areas.
Paul Biya… 43 years in power
President Paul Biya, 92, sought through these elections to extend his rule for an eighth term. This comes after more than 43 years in power, at a time of mounting criticism of the economy and deteriorating security in some regions.
The government has yet to issue an official comment. However, Local Administration Minister Paul Atanga Njie warned a few days ago that any unilateral announcement of results would constitute “high treason.” He emphasized that the Constitutional Council is the only body authorized to announce the final results. These are expected before October 26.
