Cameroon opposition candidate Tchiroma claims victory in presidential election

YAOUNDE, Cameroon — Cameroon’s opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary claimed victory early Tuesday in the Oct. 12 presidential election, urging President Paul Biya, who has been in power for over four decades, to concede.

”Our victory is clear, it must be respected,” Tchiroma said in a video statement on Facebook, calling on Biya to ”accept the truth of the ballot box” or ”plunge the country into turmoil.”

Elections Cameroon, the independent body in charge of overseeing the poll, and the constitutional court have not yet announced any results. Official results are expected at the latest by Oct. 26.

Biya’s Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement party rejected Tchiroma’s claim on Tuesday.

Gregoire Owona, the deputy secretary-general of the CPDM, said the opposition candidate did not win and does not have the results from the polling stations.

Tchiroma said he will share a detailed report of the votes by region in the coming days.

Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji warned last week that any unauthorized release of results would be deemed ”high treason,” saying only the Constitutional Council can declare a winner.

The 76-year-old opposition candidate was a government spokesperson and minister of employment under Biya but quit the government last year to launch his presidential run. His campaign drew large crowds and backing from a coalition of opposition parties and civic groups.