Cameroon in Crisis: Protests Erupt as Opposition Claims Victory Ahead of Official Results

Tensions have surged in Cameroon following opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary’s declaration of victory in the 12 October presidential election,days before official results are due.

Clashes broke out in Douala and other cities as protesters rallied against what they allege are attempts to manipulate the vote. Tchiroma,a former government spokesperson under President Paul Biya,claimed in a Facebook video that “our victory is clear,it must be respected.” He pledged to release a detailed breakdown of regional votes in the coming days. The country’s official electoral body,ELECAM,has yet to publish results,which are expected by 26 October. Security forces responded with teargas and water cannons in Douala’s Santa Barbara neighborhood,where demonstrators gathered outside ELECAM offices. Similar unrest erupted in Bafoussam and Kousseri,where citizens demanded access to original result sheets.

Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji dismissed Tchiroma’s declaration as “conspiratorial and anti-republican,” accusing him of a “diabolical plan” to destabilize the nation. President Paul Biya,now 92,is seeking to extend his 43-year rule in an election marked by low turnout,regional instability,and widespread distrust. His main rival in the 2018 vote,Maurice Kamto,also claimed victory prematurely and was later arrested. Calls for transparency and restraint are growing. Nigeria’s Good Governance Ambassadors (GOGAN) urged Biya to concede,warning that Cameroon’s future depends on respecting the democratic process. The post-election climate remains tense as the nation awaits clarity — and calm.