3 weeks ago
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Cameroon’s main absorption challenger, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, connected Tuesday, declared triumph successful the country’s statesmanlike election, claiming to person defeated long-serving President Paul Biya, who has ruled the Central African federation for 43 years.
In a station shared connected his authoritative Facebook page, Tchiroma announced, “Our triumph is clear. It indispensable beryllium respected.” He urged the authorities to “accept the information of the ballot box” oregon hazard “plunging the state into turmoil,” portion vowing to people elaborate determination results of the play vote.
“The radical person chosen,” helium added.
However, authoritative results are not expected for different 2 weeks, arsenic the Constitutional Council, the lone assemblage authorised to state last results, warned that immoderate premature proclamation of triumph was a “red enactment that indispensable not beryllium crossed.”
The melodramatic declaration has heightened tensions successful the country, which has seen erstwhile post-election disputes. In 2018, absorption campaigner Maurice Kamto likewise claimed triumph earlier authoritative results were announced, an enactment that led to his apprehension and the convulsive dispersal of his supporters’ rallies by information forces.
Biya, present 91 years aged and the world’s oldest serving caput of state, is seeking an eighth word successful office. Despite wide fatigue implicit his decades-long rule, the seasoned person inactive commands important power done his power of authorities institutions and the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM).
Bakary, a erstwhile Minister of Employment and Vocational Training, resigned from Biya’s authorities successful June 2025 to equine his challenge. His run has unexpectedly energised voters crossed large cities, positioning him arsenic Biya’s strongest hostile aft Maurice Kamto was barred from moving by the Constitutional Council.
Images of handwritten tally sheets and blackboards displaying ballot counts person flooded societal media, with some Biya’s and Bakary’s camps claiming aboriginal leads further intensifying the governmental atmosphere.
Biya, who archetypal assumed bureau successful 1982, has won each predetermination successful the past 2 decades with much than 70 percent of the vote, amid recurring allegations of vote-rigging and authoritarian control.
Political expert Stéphane Akoa told AFP earlier the polls that portion Biya’s ruling strategy possesses “ample means astatine its disposal to get results successful its favour,” this year’s run was “much livelier than usual” and truthful “more apt to propulsion up surprises.”
Sunday’s one-round predetermination saw much than 8 cardinal registered voters formed their ballots, astir of whom person ne'er known different president.
Since independency from France successful 1960, Cameroon has had lone 2 heads of state, with Biya succeeding Ahmadou Ahidjo successful 1982. His reign has been marked by governmental repression, economical inequality, and separatist unrest successful the country’s English-speaking regions.
As the federation awaits the authoritative results, hostility remains precocious amid fears of imaginable unrest. Both planetary observers and section civilian nine groups person urged calm and transparency, informing against immoderate attempts to manipulate the outcome.
For now, the governmental standoff betwixt the 91-year-old incumbent and his erstwhile state has near Cameroonians watching intimately and anxiously to spot whether the country’s electoral strategy volition withstand 1 of its biggest tests in decades.
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