Opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary has declared victory in Cameroon’s presidential election, calling on longtime President Paul Biya to accept defeat and “respect the will of the people.”....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Tchiroma, who announced his win late Monday in a video message from his home city of Garoua, said the results gathered by his team from polling stations across the country show he won “clearly and fairly.”

“Our victory is clear. It must be respected,” Tchiroma said, urging Cameroonians to remain calm and confident while official results are awaited. “I call on President Biya to honour the truth of the ballot box and put the country first.”

The statement came less than 24 hours after polls closed in the Oct. 12 election, in which millions of voters cast their ballots to decide whether Biya, who has ruled since 1982, would secure an eighth term in office.

Cameroon’s electoral body, ELECAM, has not yet released official figures, and the Constitutional Council is expected to announce certified results by Oct. 26. Authorities have warned that any premature declaration of victory is illegal and could lead to unrest.

Despite this, Tchiroma said his campaign collected tallies from thousands of polling stations showing he had defeated Biya, 92, by a wide margin. He promised to release the regional breakdown of votes “in the coming days.”

Government officials quickly rejected his claim. The ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) dismissed the opposition statement as “baseless and premature.” Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji cautioned that announcing unofficial results could be considered “high treason.”

Tchiroma, 76, was once a minister under Biya’s administration but broke away earlier this year to form a coalition of opposition parties and civic groups. His campaign gained strong support in the country’s north and among young voters calling for change after more than four decades of Biya’s rule.

Independent observers said voter turnout was high despite reports of delays in some regions and limited internet access in the English-speaking southwest.

International election monitors have not yet issued a statement on the conduct of the vote, though several civil society groups urged calm as results are compiled.

In his address, Tchiroma thanked citizens who “defied fear and stayed late at polling stations to protect their ballots.” He also appealed to the security forces and government administrators to “serve the republic, not a regime.”

He claimed that other opposition contenders had privately congratulated him, saying the “people’s voice has spoken.”

Biya’s supporters, however, insist the incumbent remains popular in many regions and say it is too early to determine the outcome. Analysts noted that Biya’s control of state institutions and the fragmented nature of the opposition could influence the final results.

Cameroon operates a single-round voting system, meaning the candidate with the most votes wins without needing a runoff. More than 8 million registered voters took part in this year’s poll, according to ELECAM.

As the nation awaits the Constitutional Council’s decision, tension is rising across political camps. Both sides have urged their supporters to remain peaceful.

For now, the country stands at a crossroads — waiting to see if Biya’s long reign continues or if Tchiroma’s declaration marks a turning point in Cameroon’s political history.