Paul Biya is a Cameroonian politician and the 2nd President of Cameroon
Fellow Citizens of Cameroon, Members of the International Community,
We address this solemn statement to the Cameroonian nation and the world at a time of grave national concern.
The official results of the 2025 presidential election, as declared by the Constitutional Council, cannot withstand impartial scrutiny.
The outcome presented—proclaiming Paul Biya as the victor—is contradicted by statistical analysis, on-the-ground observation, and the clear stipulations of Cameroon’s own electoral code.
Statistical and demographic realities contradict the official result
In 2018, Cameroon witnessed a voter turnout of 53.85% with 6,667,754 registered voters. Biya prevailed, but his mandate depended heavily on pronounced tallies in his traditional strongholds and the exclusion of regions then gripped by conflict.
In 2025, with 8,082,692 registered voters, authorities reported a vast and unprecedented surge in turnout to 57,76%.
Even more troubling, participation rates in the North West and South West regions—historically affected by widespread insecurity, displacement, and boycotts—allegedly soared to levels that exceed plausible population counts.
In several districts, official figures show more ballots cast than adult residents, sharply contradicting demographic data and reality.
Furthermore, Biya reportedly secured up to 86% of votes in the North West and a dominant tally in the South West, both regions long regarded as centers of opposition and ongoing armed resistance.
In stark contrast, turnout either stagnated or fell in the three Northern Regions, home to 27% of the country’s population, and traditionally vital to determining the outcome of national elections.
These regions registered overwhelming support for opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary.
In a transparent and lawful process, such a shift alone would have rendered Biya’s national victory mathematically unattainable, especially when paired with credible reports of high opposition participation elsewhere.
Victory of Issa Tchiroma Bakary as reflected in published results
It is critical to note that Issa Tchiroma Bakary—the widely acknowledged rightful winner—has, in accordance with the provisions of Cameroon’s electoral code, substantiated his claim with authentic results directly collated from polling stations across the nation.
An independent tabulation of returns from the 18 most populous electoral divisions confirms that Tchiroma secured an absolute majority of ballots cast, exceeding 50 percent.
These figures, published as required by law, represent an incontrovertible expression of the popular will.
Sovereignty resides with the people, not with coerced institutions
In these extraordinary circumstances, sovereignty cannot, and must not, be claimed by institutions that have lost their independence or by individuals who seek to subvert the will of the electorate through manipulation or force.
Legitimacy, both legal and moral, resides solely with the candidate chosen by the people through a transparent and credible electoral process.
Paul Biya, having failed to secure a majority based on authentic votes, now seeks to retain only the legitimacy of legality—enforced through security services, armed forces, and other state apparatus.
The spirit and letter of democracy demand more.
National crisis and the people’s response
Since the proclamation of the official results, Cameroon has been convulsed by mass demonstrations in every major city and region.
The people, in overwhelming numbers, have taken to the streets to declare—peacefully but resolutely—that the official outcome does not reflect their will.
Regrettably, state security forces have responded with excessive violence.
This repression has resulted in scores of deaths, hundreds of arrests, and widespread destruction of property.
These events are a mournful yet unmistakable message: the Cameroonian people reject the fraudulent outcome and stand in defense of their sovereign right to self-determination.
International norms and the imperative for an orderly transition
Globally, the norms of democracy and responsible governance compel a peaceful, lawful, and timely transition of power whenever elections are marred by such evident irregularities.
Legitimacy cannot be imposed by decree or force, nor can it be conjured from results fundamentally at odds with demographic realities and legal requirements.
The continued insistence on clinging to power by illegitimate means threatens Cameroon’s stability and unity, undermines its international reputation, and deprives its people of the future they have chosen.
Our appeal
We call upon all Cameroonian citizens to remain resolute, peaceful, and united in their demand for a lawful and peaceful transition.
We urge the international community to withhold recognition of the proclaimed results and to support genuine mediation, accountability, adherence to democratic principles, and the peaceful transfer of power to the legitimately elected president.
The time has come for Cameroon to align with the universal standards of democracy and to restore rule by the freely expressed will of its people.
Let history and the world bear witness: The sovereignty of Cameroon belongs to its citizens, not to those who would retain power absent popular consent.
In the interest of Justice, peace, and progress, the people demand nothing less.
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