Tchiroma Demands Justice After Alleged Mass Rigging

[YAOUNDE, Oct 19, 2025] — In a blistering address to the nation delivered today, presidential candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary accused state actors and electoral officials of orchestrating a coordinated theft of the popular vote following the October 12 presidential ballot.

Tchiroma called on Cameroon’s Constitutional Council, judges in departmental commissions, and the international community to recognise and protect the authentic results recorded at polling stations — the procès-verbaux (PVs) he says were issued at the close of counting and signed by polling officials.

The candidate framed the crisis as an attack on the republic itself. “This is not a simple election. It is a crime against the will of the people,” Tchiroma said, enumerating allegations ranging from ballot-box stuffing to the wholesale replacement of PVs. He urged the highest judicial body to “be on the side of truth, law and the people,” and appealed directly to incumbent President Paul Biya to step down with dignity rather than allow the country to sink into deeper turmoil.

Allegations: method and scope

Tchiroma’s address itemised a range of alleged manipulations. He described cases of ballot-box stuffing — including one claim of an ELECAM cadre in Makari admitting to irregularities — and highlighted improbable tallies posted for the North-West and South-West regions despite reports of mass abstention linked to insecurity there. He painted a picture of PVs being torn, replaced, or overwritten “in the middle of the pages” to manufacture results that differ from those handed to party representatives at the polling stations.

The candidate also accused administrative actors of actively obstructing scrutiny: polling agents and scrutineers reportedly chased from some stations; party representatives denied certified copies of PVs; and magistrates — Tchiroma claims — turning a blind eye when confronted with obvious discrepancies. “If the official PV differs from the document given to party representatives, then the question must be asked: who falsified it?” he demanded.

Legal call: Constitutional Council on notice

Tchiroma directed his message squarely to the Constitutional Council, reminding members of their oath to defend the constitution. He posed the choice plainly: validate the truth of the ballot and give Cameroon a peaceful transition, or endorse the fraud and risk precipitating national unrest. He underlined that evidence — original PVs, photos, live tallies and witness accounts — is circulating nationally and internationally and put the onus on the Council to weigh them.

The speech was both a plea and a warning. Tchiroma urged international partners — the African Union, European Union, United Nations, neighbouring states and Western governments — to break any silence, arguing that silence equals complicity. He told President Biya the moment remained to exit “through the great door” and preserve his legacy by respecting the people’s will.

Grassroots reaction and institutional fallout

Tchiroma’s speech echoes reports of unrest and popular mobilization across multiple cities since October 12. Local party coordinators, observers and activists have posted images and PV scans online, asserting that tallies collected at polling stations show decisive victories for Tchiroma in many departments. In some late-breaking accounts, departmental commissions have been the site of heated confrontations between party agents and electoral staff, leading to arrests and allegations of intimidation.

The candidate also described instances where party agents were offered bribes to “sell” PVs — an allegation readily amplified on social media — and called on citizens to remain calm while defending their rights. “Do not yield to provocation; remain peaceful. But know your right to claim your victory,” he told supporters.

International implications and the path forward

Tchiroma framed the crisis as a test for Cameroon’s institutions and for the international community’s resolve to defend electoral integrity. He urged foreign partners to publicly call for transparency and scrutiny of the evidence now circulating online. “Your voice can protect peace,” he said, naming neighbours Nigeria and Chad, the AU, EU, UN, France, and the United States.

For his part, Tchiroma promised that his movement would continue to document and publish PVs and other records demonstrating the people’s will. He called on civil society, churches, unions, independent media and political parties to unite in demanding the truth.

Conclusion

Issa Tchiroma’s address crystallises the political fault lines roiling Cameroon in the days after the vote. It mixes legal appeal, moral suasion, and a direct challenge to the electoral apparatus. Whether the Constitutional Council and administrative authorities respond to Tchiroma’s demands — and whether international actors will intervene to ensure transparent verification — will determine whether the crisis is resolved through legal channels or escalates into broader instability.

Tchiroma closed with a forceful refrain: “This is not my victory alone; it is the people’s victory. The people will defend what is theirs.” The coming hours and days will reveal whether the institutions tasked with safeguarding democratic outcomes answer that call.