As the countdown to the official proclamation of Sunday’s presidential election result in two weeks begins, Cameroon’s social media space has been awash with preliminary results from different polling stations showing incumbent Biya neck and neck with former ally and government spokesperson, Issa Tchiroma Bakary.
Slightly over eight million Cameroonians, both at home and abroad, voted to elect the country’s Head of State for a seven-year mandate. The government says the election was generally peaceful across the country. Vote counting has begun across the national territory and abroad after yesterday’s presidential election.
As the countdown to the official proclamation of Sunday’s presidential election result in two weeks begins, Cameroon’s social media space has been awash with preliminary results from different polling stations showing incumbent Biya neck and neck with former ally and government spokesperson, Issa Tchiroma Bakary. The tallying flagged off shortly after voting ended at 6pm on Sunday.
Over eight million Cameroonians had registered to vote in the 2025 presidential poll where 12 candidates, including incumbent Paul Biya of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM party, were on the starting bloc. The government and other sources stated in different outings at the close of voting yesterday that the election was largely peaceful despite a few hitches recorded in some parts of the country including in the North, Littoral, West regions and other localities.
Vote counting sweeps internet
The final result of Sunday’s election is not expected until at least October 27. But that has not contributed enough in limiting the drama around the vote counting process and the publication of preliminary results. The dram which has now been likened to battle between the two leading candidates has been particularly intense across social media platforms and other internet platforms. Since the close of polls, social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and X, formerly Twitter, have been awash with what is reported to be results from various polling stations across the national territory.
Although early results shared across the platforms suggested that former member of government, Issa Tchiroma Bakary of the Cameroon National Salvation Front, FSNC has been leading, the trend gradually balanced up as the day became older, indicating a close race between Tchiroma and incumbent. Even before voting concluded in Cameroon, early results from the diaspora indicated that Tchiroma had won in several polling stations and nations in the diaspora. One of the notable results came through from Peking in China which is placed at GMT+ eight, seven hours ahead of Cameroon.
Other results from the diaspora indicated that Tchiroma had won in polling stations in Russia, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Dubai in the United Arabs Emirates and other parts of the world. The dynamic however became balanced when results that are believed to be from polling stations in Cameroon started being spread across social media platforms. That was despite the fact that results that were believed to be from most urban areas across the country indicated that Tchiroma was winning in most polling stations including in the capital Yaounde where the FSNC leader reportedly bagged victories of wide margins.
Per the results, candidate Cabral Libii of the Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation, PCRN was placed third on the tentative classification while the National Union for Democracy, UNDP of former Prime Minister Bello Bouba Maigari was fourth. The Social Democratic Front of candidate Joshua Osih struggled heavily alongside the likes of Tomaino Ndam Njoya of the CDU. Pierre Kwemo of the Union of Socialist Movements, UMS party and Serge Espoir Matomba of the United People for Social Renovation were both having a more challenging ride.
The final result of the election is expected by October 27 from the Constitutional Council. The confirmation of the result by the Council is expected to come after post electoral litigations that are expected to be filed by the various candidates after the first publication of results by the national election management body, Elections Cameroon, ELECAM.
Candidates calm after “peaceful” poll
Speaking in separate interviews after yesterday’s poll, the various candidates said they are pleased with how the election unfolded. They said they are calmly waiting for the proclamation of the result. Incumbent Paul Biya said he is glad that the poll went through smoothly and despite stating that he will not hurry to make promises on what he will offer the Cameroonian people in the next seven years until the final results are confirmed. “Everything has been going on smoothly without any hitches.
That alone is impressive,” the incumbent candidate stated after voting at Government Primary School Bastos in Yaounde. “I don’t want to dabble into predictions but I am happy and hope that everything will go on calmly. I cannot make declarations on what I will do. For now, we have to wait and see what the result looks like when it comes out. I cannot make declarations without being sure of getting elected,” Biya added. Issa Tchiroma Bakary made similar declarations. He said if he is proclaimed winner, he will role for the interest of all Cameroonian people. “It was a very great day for me.
I dedicate my entire existence to the protection and promotion of our country. I have fulfilled my civic duty which is that of choosing with all peace and freedom. I just did that with all pleasure and responsibility,” candidate stated. “I am happy to preside over the destiny of our country. I will take care of Cameroonians and their wellbeing. We have the value of pride, honour and dignity. I will like to reawaken these values, which are within all of us…” Tchiroma added.
Ateki Caxton of the Liberal Alliance Party, party also expressed full satisfaction. “I am very proud and filled with hope about this country. For me, this is something that raises our hopes about the democracy of our country. We have also watched with pleasure that so many persons were on the hands to coordinate the exercise. I didn’t notice anything negative,” the candidate stated.
Enter Osih, Tomaino
Osih Joshua of the Social Democratic Front in an interview after voting at Lycee Joss in Douala in the Littoral Region said “We are waiting. We are calm. We had difficulties on the field, in Mundemba and Mbonge in the South West Region.” Tomaino Ndam Njoya of the Cameroon Democratic Union, CDU party said she is satisfied with the process despite the few hitches that were recorded notably in her native and fief, Noun in the West Region where she voted. She said she has switched her attention on the tallying and proclamation of the final results.
Administrators hail smoothness of process
Administrative authorities in separate outings also hailed the smoothness of the process. The governors of the North West and South West regions where there was fear before the start of the polls over insecurity both said the exercise was smoothly organized. Bernard Okalia Bilai of the South West Region said the conduct of the exercise was impressive and worthy of being praised.
He hailed the population of the region for participating in the exercise. Governor Adolphe Lele L’Afrique said the polls were held without any hitches despite the heavy rainfall that threatened to disrupt that exercise across several parts of his area of command, the North West Region.
