Cameroon’s opposition leader, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, has declared himself the winner of the 12 October presidential election, challenging the official results yet to be announced. In an interview with the BBC, Bakary, 76, a former government minister who broke ties with President Paul Biya, 92, asserted that his team had compiled data from polling stations, leaving no doubt about his victory. He vowed not to accept a ‘stolen vote’ and urged his supporters to defend their ballots. The ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) dismissed Bakary’s claims as illegal, stating that only the Constitutional Council can announce official results. Bakary, undeterred, insisted that the law permits his declaration and challenged the ruling party to disprove his claims. The delayed announcement of results has heightened tensions in Cameroon, a nation already grappling with separatist conflicts in Anglophone regions and Boko Haram insurgency in the Far North. The election outcome could determine whether Biya, the world’s oldest president, retains his 43-year grip on power.