In a dramatic twist following Cameroon’s presidential election on October 12, 2025, opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary has declared himself the victor, setting the stage for a tense standoff with the country’s long-serving leader, President Paul Biya. The announcement, made in a late-night video from Tchiroma’s hometown of Garoua and broadcast on Facebook, has electrified the nation and drawn swift denunciation from Biya’s ruling party, even as official results remain days away.
“Our victory is clear. It must be respected,” Tchiroma proclaimed, his words echoing across social media and quickly picked up by international outlets such as the Associated Press and The Africa Report. He called on President Biya to “accept the truth of the ballot box” or risk plunging Cameroon into turmoil. Tchiroma, in his late seventies and a former government spokesperson and minister of employment, broke with Biya’s administration last year to mount a campaign that drew large crowds and support from a coalition of opposition parties and civic groups.
Yet, as Tchiroma’s supporters celebrated what he described as a “landslide victory,” the machinery of state power moved to quash any premature claims. The Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), Biya’s party, dismissed Tchiroma’s announcement as a “grotesque hoax,” with deputy secretary-general Gregoire Owona insisting the opposition “does not have the results from the polling stations.” The party emphasized that only the Constitutional Council, the country’s highest electoral authority, is empowered to declare a winner—an assertion echoed by the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, who warned last week that any unauthorized release of results would be considered “high treason.”
“From today, playtime is over. Only the bodies responsible for centralising and counting votes will take over … No other initiative outside this legal framework must exist or prosper,” Atanga Nji declared, making it clear that the government would brook no challenges to the official process. “Any attempt to disrupt the electoral process after the closing of polling stations will be considered a casus belli and treated as such.”
This hardline stance is hardly surprising to Cameroonians, many of whom have known only one ruler their entire lives. Paul Biya, now 92 and the world’s oldest serving head of state, has been in power since 1982—a span that stretches back to the Cold War and the presidency of Ronald Reagan in the United States. Biya’s rule has been marked by a firm grip on state institutions, a pattern of appointing and dismissing key officials at will, and a history of suppressing both political and armed opposition. During his decades at the helm, Cameroon has weathered social upheaval, economic disparity, and ongoing violence from a deadly secessionist movement in the west, all while struggling with chronic corruption despite significant oil and mineral wealth.
The 2025 election was always going to be fraught. While eleven opposition candidates appeared on the ballot, Biya’s control over state institutions and the opposition’s fragmentation gave analysts reason to predict another victory for the incumbent. Notably, Biya’s strongest rival, Maurice Kamto, was barred from running in August, clearing the path for Tchiroma to emerge as the leading challenger. The single-round electoral system in Cameroon means the presidency goes to whoever secures the most votes, with no runoff—a setup that has historically favored Biya, who claimed over 70% of the vote in the 2018 election amid reports of irregularities and low turnout.
Tchiroma’s campaign, however, injected an unexpected energy into the race. Having resigned from government in June 2025 after two decades at Biya’s side, he quickly consolidated opposition support and won endorsements from civic groups. In his victory speech, Tchiroma struck a tone of unity and renewal, thanking “the candidates who have already sent [him] their congratulations,” and declaring, “Together, we have made history.” He credited voters—“the true heroes of this victory”—for protecting their ballots and called on all institutions and officials to “not make themselves enemies of the people they are meant to serve.”
“The time of fear, manipulation and false calculations is over. The only camp that matters today is that of Cameroon,” Tchiroma said, appealing directly to security forces, youth, teachers, workers, farmers, soldiers, journalists, and the diaspora. He promised to share a detailed report of votes by region in the coming days, based on publicly displayed results as permitted by Article 113 of the Electoral Code. “Together, we shall turn the page, we shall reconcile our nation, rebuild our institutions and open the path to a just, dignified and fraternal future,” he added.
Images of tally sheets and blackboards showing local results have circulated widely on social media, fueling claims of victory from both camps and raising tensions in a country where, just seven years ago, a similar scenario ended in repression. In 2018, opposition leader Maurice Kamto declared himself the winner a day after the vote. He was promptly arrested, his supporters’ rallies were dispersed with tear gas and water cannon, and dozens were detained. Biya ultimately cruised to victory, but the episode left a mark on Cameroon’s political psyche—a reminder of the risks inherent in challenging entrenched power.
As of now, Elections Cameroon, the independent body overseeing the poll, and the Constitutional Council have not released any official results. Final tallies are not expected until October 26, leaving the country in a state of anxious anticipation. Around eight million Cameroonians were eligible to cast their ballots in the October 12 vote, most of whom have known no other leader than Biya. For many, the election represents a crossroads: the possibility of change after more than four decades of continuity, or a reaffirmation of the status quo.
Public discontent over economic stagnation and insecurity has simmered beneath the surface, but Biya’s enduring hold on the levers of power—and the memory of past crackdowns—has kept opposition hopes in check. Still, Tchiroma’s bold declaration has energized his supporters and injected new uncertainty into the post-election period. Whether this moment marks the beginning of a new era or a repeat of past disappointments will depend on how the coming days unfold—and whether the institutions tasked with safeguarding Cameroon’s democracy can rise to the occasion.
The world’s eyes are now on Cameroon as it waits for the official results. The stakes are high, and the country stands at a pivotal moment. As Tchiroma put it, “The people have chosen.” Whether that choice will be honored remains to be seen.