Cameroon's opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who has declared himself the winner of the 12 October elections, has told the BBC that he will not accept a stolen vote, with the results due to be announced on Monday. He says his team has compiled the overall picture based on results from individual polling stations, so there is no doubt.
Tchiroma Bakary, 76, is a former government minister who broke ranks with President Paul Biya, 92, who is seeking another term after 43 years in power. The ruling party has dismissed Tchiroma Bakary's victory claims and several officials have described it as illegal because only the Constitutional Council can proclaim official results.
In an interview at his home, in the northern city of Garoua, Tchiroma Bakary said he had urged his supporters to defend their votes. We will never accept their votes being stolen by anyone, he said, dressed in a long, flowing white and gold tunic.
The former minister said he was not concerned about being arrested or put in jail, but I know that I have already won the presidential election. His confidence stems from previous claims of securing about 55% of the vote based on returns representing 80% of the electorate.
With fears of electoral violence growing amidst delayed results, Bakary remains steadfast that the citizens' voices will not be disregarded. As tensions escalate in a country already shaken by conflict in the Anglophone regions and Boko Haram insurgency in the Far North, the influential Catholic Church has urged calm, hoping for a peaceful resolution that reflects the will of the electorate.
Bakary's journey from minister to opposition leader highlights his drastic shift in political allegiance and the growing demand for change within a nation burdened by stagnation and challenges of underdevelopment. His ability to draw crowds and connect with voters signals a considerable shift in the political landscape of Cameroon, where many seek a path away from decades of Biya's rule.
Tchiroma Bakary, 76, is a former government minister who broke ranks with President Paul Biya, 92, who is seeking another term after 43 years in power. The ruling party has dismissed Tchiroma Bakary's victory claims and several officials have described it as illegal because only the Constitutional Council can proclaim official results.
In an interview at his home, in the northern city of Garoua, Tchiroma Bakary said he had urged his supporters to defend their votes. We will never accept their votes being stolen by anyone, he said, dressed in a long, flowing white and gold tunic.
The former minister said he was not concerned about being arrested or put in jail, but I know that I have already won the presidential election. His confidence stems from previous claims of securing about 55% of the vote based on returns representing 80% of the electorate.
With fears of electoral violence growing amidst delayed results, Bakary remains steadfast that the citizens' voices will not be disregarded. As tensions escalate in a country already shaken by conflict in the Anglophone regions and Boko Haram insurgency in the Far North, the influential Catholic Church has urged calm, hoping for a peaceful resolution that reflects the will of the electorate.
Bakary's journey from minister to opposition leader highlights his drastic shift in political allegiance and the growing demand for change within a nation burdened by stagnation and challenges of underdevelopment. His ability to draw crowds and connect with voters signals a considerable shift in the political landscape of Cameroon, where many seek a path away from decades of Biya's rule.
