Cameroon presidential rival calls for protests ahead of election results

YAOUNDÉ - Former government minister and presidential hopeful Issa Tchiroma Bakary called on Cameroonians Wednesday to protest if the Constitutional Council announces "falsified and distorted results" in the hotly contested poll.

Incumbent Paul Biya, 92, is seeking an eighth term to extend his 43-year rule following the 12 October contest which already faces allegations of "electoral fraud" and "irregularities".

Supporters of Tchiroma, who according to his own tally won 54.8% of the votes against Biya's 31.3%, have sporadically taken to the streets since last week to claim victory in the presidential election.

As of Wednesday, officials banned public gatherings and the movement of motorcycle taxis in several cities ahead of the final results due no later than Monday evening.

"The announcement of the official results of the presidential election of 12 October, 2025, will take place on Monday, 27 October, at 11 am," according to a statement late Wednesday issued by the president of the Council.

"The Cameroonian people, in their vast majority, will never accept the validation by the Constitutional Council of falsification and ballot stuffing," Tchiroma declared in a video posted on his Facebook page.

"If they prefer to threaten the serenity and peace of the country rather than admit defeat, we will respond with the peaceful determination of the people," he said.

"Let us march for liberation and to claim our victory," Tchiroma added, urging his compatriots to stand "as one in peace and for the love of one's country."

Biya's RDPC party has since denounced Tchiroma's victory claim as "a grotesque hoax" and an "unacceptable fraud in a state of law", saying in a statement they were "calmly awaiting the official results".