Opposition presidential candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary has announced his intention to publish “original” polling station returns to validate his claim of victory in Cameroon’s October 12 election.
His move comes amid preliminary results that favor long‑time incumbent President Paul Biya.
In a statement on Sunday, Tchiroma said his campaign would release electoral trends drawn from official polling station reports (PVs) signed by scrutineers.
He argued the data would help ensure transparency and prevent manipulation.
This challenge follows early projections showing Biya in the lead.
The result remains unconfirmed, as Cameroon’s Constitutional Council is the only body constitutionally authorized to announce the winner.
Tchiroma, 76 and a former minister and government spokesperson, broke ranks with Biya earlier this year to run under a coalition called Union for Change, a unification of opposition parties and civil society groups.
He reiterated that the “people have chosen,” calling on the regime to accept the outcome or risk political unrest.
Tchiroma threatened to share detailed regional breakdowns of vote tallies in the coming hours.
But Biya’s administration and ruling party have dismissed the declarations, citing legal warnings that only the Constitutional Council can announce official results.
The Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, has warned that any on‑the‑fly publication of full results could be treated as “high treason.”
In recent days, civic groups and the opposition coalition have affirmed that evidence from polling stations supports Tchiroma’s claims, estimating his lead in key provinces between 60% and 80%, and calling for public vigilance in protecting the people’s will.
