Suspense in Cameroonian Election

 

By Tioluwanimi Ogunro 

The air in Cameroon is thick with uncertainty as the nation waits for official results from the October 12 presidential election. Opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary has boldly declared himself winner, a move that has sparked tension and raised political stakes across the Central African nation.

Tchiroma, once a minister under President Paul Biya, announced victory in a public address, urging the incumbent to “respect the will of the people.” His declaration came even before the Constitutional Council, the only body legally empowered to validate results, had made any announcement.

The ruling camp has described the early claim as “premature and provocative,” while security forces remain on high alert following small-scale protests by Tchiroma’s supporters in Yaoundé and Douala.

At 92, Paul Biya, Africa’s oldest sitting president is seeking yet another term, extending a rule that began in 1982. His long grip on power has become emblematic of Cameroon’s political landscape, where institutions appear molded around one man’s legacy.

The Constitutional Council, led by figures appointed under Biya’s administration, is expected to declare official results by October 26. Critics fear the process may once again consolidate the status quo, while optimists hope the country could be on the brink of a generational shift.

Political analysts say this election has become more than a contest of ballots, it’s a referendum on endurance versus renewal.

“Cameroon is trapped between the memory of its past and the mirage of its future,” said a local political observer. “Whether Biya or Tchiroma wins, the question remains: will anything truly change?”

As the nation waits in anxious silence, Cameroon stands at a historic crossroads, between continuity and a chance to rewrite its story.