A wave of public outrage is sweeping through Cameroon after claims surfaced that the results of the October 12 presidential election are being manipulated to secure another term for 92-year-old President Paul Biya.
Investigative reports suggest a covert operation is underway, spearheaded by a coalition of political elites, traditional rulers, and governors, all working to ensure Biya’s continued grip on power.
According to sources within the Cameroon Intelligence Report’s investigative team, this controversial maneuver is being orchestrated by the ruling CPDM party, which is reportedly using the South West region’s election results to declare Biya the winner—despite strong opposition from his main rival, Issa Tchiroma Bakary.
Just hours ago, a document purportedly detailing the official South West results was released by the governor’s office.
In it, Biya is said to have defeated Tchiroma, an outcome that has left many Cameroonians questioning the legitimacy of the process.
The document, however, raised immediate concerns as it was published exclusively in French, despite the region’s predominantly Anglophone population.
This has fueled suspicions that the results may have been manipulated to suit the ruling party’s interests.
The controversy surrounding the South West results has triggered swift and angry reactions from citizens across the country.
In Garoua, where Tchiroma’s residence was reportedly cordoned off, locals are expressing their frustration both on the streets and online. One aide to Tchiroma stated, “If they rig 2025, Cameroon will explode! We cannot keep watching them destroy our homeland.”
Activists and commentators have also voiced their anger, with one Douala-based individual declaring, “These CPDM criminals think we don’t know what they are doing, but we do. The political class wants us to believe that Cameroon is Biya and Biya is Cameroon! We must resist it.”
The growing dissent is fueled by widespread disillusionment with the country’s electoral body, ELECAM, which many citizens believe is under the direct control of the Ministry of Territorial Administration.
“They promised us that ELECAM would be independent, but what we are getting is an ELECAM that is run by the Ministry of Territorial Administration. Cameroon is being hijacked!” said Rita Akana, a city reporter from Yaoundé.
Supporters of Tchiroma are also questioning why the results are being withheld, despite claims that the election process went smoothly. “If you say Biya has done well, you won’t need to manipulate ELECAM,” one of Tchiroma’s supporters said, reflecting a widespread sense of betrayal.
With mounting frustration and growing calls for transparency, Cameroonians are left wondering: will their voices be enough to prevent the alleged theft of their votes? The country’s democratic future hangs in the balance as tensions escalate.
As the political standoff continues, all eyes remain on the government’s next move. Will they be able to quash the rising resistance, or will the people’s outrage force a reckoning with the country’s flawed electoral system?
By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai with additional reporting
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