Cameroon stands on a knife’s edge as opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary has thrown down the gauntlet, telling the BBC he will not accept a “stolen vote” and declaring himself the undeniable winner of the October 12 presidential election ahead of the official results.
The 76-year-old former minister, who broke from President Paul Biya’s 43-year rule, has positioned himself as the people’s champion against an aging regime. With the Constitutional Council set to announce results on Monday, his defiant stance transforms a political contest into a potential tinderbox, threatening to ignite a nation already grappling with separatist and Islamist insurgencies.
In a high-stakes interview, Tchiroma Bakary presented his case with unshakable conviction. “There is no doubt, no shadow of doubt whatsoever. My victory is undeniable,” he stated, claiming his team compiled results from polling stations showing a clear win. He defended his unprecedented self-declaration as legal and framed the ruling CPDM party as a cornered animal with “their backs against the wall,” unable to accept defeat.
His defiance comes with a stark warning to his supporters and the government. “We will never accept their votes being stolen by anyone,” he vowed, urging his followers to “defend their votes.” When asked if he feared arrest, he displayed a martyr’s resolve, stating he was unconcerned because “I know that I have already won.”
Meanwhile, the ruling party has swiftly dismissed his claims as “illegal,” asserting that only the Biya-appointed Constitutional Council holds the authority to proclaim a winner. This sets the stage for a direct clash between institutional authority and grassroots claims of victory.
The escalating tension has not gone unnoticed. The highly influential Catholic Church in Cameroon has issued a rare public plea for calm, expressing hope the official result “would reflect the will of the electorate” and that “nothing will be changed by any authority.” This intervention underscores the profound fear that the announcement could trigger widespread violence.
Why It Matters
Issa Tchiroma Bakary is not only contesting an election, he is also preemptively challenging the legitimacy of the entire process. By declaring victory and vowing to reject any other outcome, he is forcing a dramatic confrontation that the Biya regime is ill-prepared to handle.
This is a calculated scheme to control the narrative and mobilize the streets before the official results are even read. The stage is now set for a crisis of legitimacy. If the Council declares Biya the winner, it will be seen by millions as the “ballot stuffing” Tchiroma Bakary has already denounced.
