Cameroon’s Issa Tchiroma Bakary claims presidential election victory

Leading absorption campaigner unilaterally declares himself the victor, and calls connected incumbent Paul Biya to concede.

Cameroon absorption person Issa Tchiroma Bakary has unilaterally declared triumph successful the country’s statesmanlike election.

Tchiroma made the connection successful a astir five-minute code posted to societal media aboriginal connected Tuesday. Although authoritative channels person not declared results, helium urged semipermanent incumbent, 92-year-old President Paul Biya, to telephone him to concede.

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“The radical person chosen, and this prime indispensable beryllium respected,” Tchiroma demanded successful the video.

However, the authorities warned earlier this week that lone results announced by the Constitutional Council tin beryllium considered official. The assemblage has astir 2 weeks to marque the announcement.

A erstwhile authorities spokesperson and state of Biya for 20 years, Tchiroma was considered the apical contender to unseat Biya successful Sunday’s elections.

After helium resigned from the authorities successful June, his campaign drew ample crowds and cardinal endorsements from a conjugation of absorption parties and civic groups.

But Biya – successful powerfulness for 43 years and the world’s oldest serving caput of authorities – has been wide expected to unafraid different seven-year word successful office, fixed his choky grip connected authorities machinery and the fragmented quality of the opposition.

Cameroon’s authorities has not responded officially to Tchiroma’s declaration.

However, Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji warned precocious that lone the Constitutional Council has the authorization to denote the winner, and that immoderate unilateral work of results would beryllium considered “high treason”.

Cameroon’s electoral instrumentality allows results to beryllium published and posted astatine idiosyncratic polling stations, but last tallies indispensable beryllium validated by the Constitutional Council, which has until October 26 to denote the outcome, the Reuters quality bureau reported.

Issa Tchiroma Bakary casts his ballot successful Garoua, Cameroon, connected Sunday [File: Desire Danga Essigue/Reuters]

‘Honour’ the ballot box

In the video, filmed successful his bluish hometown of Garoua successful beforehand of the nationalist flag, Tchiroma urged Biya to “honour the information of the ballot box”, and to concede and connection congratulations.

Doing so, helium said, would beryllium a people of Cameroon’s governmental maturity and the spot of its democracy.

The predetermination results, helium said, correspond “a wide sanction” of Biya’s medication and marked “the opening of a caller era”.

Tchiroma besides thanked rival candidates “who person already congratulated maine and recognised the volition of the people”.

He called connected authorities institutions and the subject to recognise his triumph and “stay connected the broadside of the republic”.

“Do not fto anyone divert you from your ngo to support the people,” helium said.