Cameroon’s opposition challenger, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, on Tuesday claimed election victory against incumbent President Paul Biya, who has been in power for 43 years, with official results from Sunday’s vote not expected for two weeks.

“Our victory is clear. It must be respected,” Tchiroma declared in a post on Facebook.

He urged the government to “accept the truth of the ballot box” or “plunge the country into turmoil” and promised to publish detailed results by region.

“The people have chosen,” he added.

While the tally sheets are allowed to be published, final official results must be announced by the country’s Constitutional Council — a “red line that must not be crossed”, according to the government.

A former government spokesman and ally of Biya for 20 years, Tchiroma was considered the top contender to unseat Biya in Sunday’s elections.

After he resigned from the government in June, his campaign drew large crowds and key endorsements from a coalition of opposition parties and civic groups.

In the 2018 presidential election, opposition challenger Maurice Kamto declared himself the winner the day after the vote.

He was subsequently arrested, and his supporters’ rallies were dispersed with tear gas and water cannon, with dozens arrested.

However, Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji warned recently that only the Constitutional Council has the authority to announce the winner, and that any unilateral publication of results would be considered “high treason”.

Cameroon’s electoral law allows results to be published and posted at individual polling stations, but final tallies must be validated by the Constitutional Council, which has until October 26 to announce the outcome, the Reuters news agency reported.

Biya, the world’s oldest serving head of state, is vying for an eighth term to extend his decades in power.

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Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

It was reports that Mbah made the announcement on Tuesday during a press conference in Enugu, the state capital, in what is seen as a major political realignment in the South-East.

Explaining the reason for his switch, the governor said the move was aimed at accelerating development in the state and aligning Enugu with a national growth agenda.

Read the full address below:

“CHARTING A NEW COURSE: TRANSITION FROM PDP TO APC

“I want to begin by expressing a deep gratitude to God and Ndi Enugu…

“For we are indeed at a moment of reflection, gratitude and renewal.

“Today, I stand before you, to announce a break from the past, and to share a decision that will shape the road ahead. This concerns our values, how we organize ourselves politically, and how we secure the future of our projects and our people.

“I offer my sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed to this journey over the past 28 months.

“At the top of that list is Ndi Enugu. At a time when confidence in political leaders had almost collapsed, you chose to believe in us.

“When I declared that ‘Tomorrow Is Here,’ it struck a chord in your hearts. You put aside long-held skepticism and stood by us. Without that trust, the transformation we see today would never have happened.

“Let us pause for a moment and consider what this transformation looks like.

“It looks like Smart Green Schools nearing completion and primary healthcare centres in all 260 wards.

“It looks like crime down by 80%; Maternal, Under-5 and infant mortality rates reduced by 400 percent.

“It looks like a Command and Control Centre with AI-embedded Security Surveillance System and 150 Distress Response Squad vehicles that guarantee safe streets and neighbourhoods.

“It looks like water flowing again through new mains and restored supply.

“It looks like over 1000 kilometres of paved roads.

“It looks like Internally-Generated Revenue up 600%.

“It looks like a fully booked International Conference Centre pouring money into our local economy.

“It looks like direct flights taking off, with Enugu Air linking us to key cities across Nigeria and beyond.

“It looks like 3 million visitors to Enugu by 2026 – with Nigeria’s first zipline, 4 immersive eco-tourist sites.

“It looks like commuting in comfortable CNG buses at 5 world-class terminals; and having 260 Farm Estates that bring production to scale.

“It looks like Hotel Presidential and Nigergas revamped; and several moribund assets roaring back to life.

“Of course, it looks like winning the Renewed Hope Initiative’s Model Green State Award as the Cleanest State in Nigeria.

“It looks like Enugu on the national, indeed global map.

“Ndi Enugu, Your trust and support have been the bedrock of our success, and we pledge to honour that by delivering on our election promises.

“Our elder statesmen have also demonstrated generosity and foresight.

“Many of you had witnessed decades of broken promises. When we approached you, we did not ask for blind loyalty but some faith in our vision.

“You gave us that faith. Together, with your vote of confidence, we have achieved remarkable progress.

“To my colleagues in the administration, I am grateful for your resilience. We have walked a path that often felt like a marathon without rest. Many of the ideas we put forward were dismissed as unrealistic. Yet you kept pushing the boundaries of what was possible.

“Because of your dedication, today we hear applause for Enugu across Nigeria and beyond.

“To the Peoples Democratic Party, which provided the platform on which we campaigned and won, I extend deep gratitude. The PDP supported us through a demanding campaign and joined in celebrating the victory.

“For nearly 3 decades, the PDP and the people of Enugu walked side by side, united by shared purpose. Together, we built relationships that will always matter to me personally and to this state.

“Yet, leadership sometimes demands difficult, even painful decisions in the service of higher principles and goals. And there always comes a time when everyone must make a bold choice to determine their destiny.

“Today, after a long reflection, we have made the decision to leave the PDP and join the All Progressives Congress.

“This is no whimsical decision. It’s a collective move by the political family in Enugu State, comprising members of the National Assembly, members of the State House of Assembly, the State Executive Council, all the Local Government Chairmen and Councillors, all political appointees and over 80% of party executives.

“Over the past months, I have thought carefully about the path forward. In the end, after much soul-searching and discussion, I have concluded that we must stand for the principles and institutions that honour transparency, trust, and, above all, the people we serve.

“For decades, the South East, especially Enugu, has stood firmly behind the PDP, showing loyalty that shaped the party’s success.

“Yet despite this history, our voices were too often disregarded when it mattered most.

“It has therefore become necessary to seek affiliation where our interests as a region are represented in the form of fair partnership.

“We are not moving from a place of resentment or fear. We are confident of our future.

“We have no axe to grind, no personal point to make. But fairness, respect and integrity must guide our choices for that future to be ours.

“Today, in joining the APC, we are embracing a visionary partnership.

“I have found in His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, not just a leader of our nation, but a partner in purpose, a man with the courage to look beyond today and make the tough choices that secure lasting prosperity for tomorrow.

“Together, we share a conviction that transformation must be bold and disruptive, that roads, railways, and airlines must stretch out from the heart of the South East; that Enugu’s promise, its security, its schools, its hospitals, its markets, its communities – must be reinforced.

“The President has shown not only interest, but a deep and vested commitment to Enugu, one that recognizes our region as a pillar of national progress.

“We both share a belief that renewal does not stop at the grand highways or the balance sheets. It must reach the ward, the village, our grassroots. It is in the daily life of the farmer, the trader, the young entrepreneur that reforms come alive.

“We both welcome initiatives that decentralize opportunity, that strengthen the capacity of local government, that bring seed capital and credit to our youth, and that expand healthcare and education at the community level.

“Just as we do in our ward-based development initiatives, these convictions are boldly expressed in the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, an idea conceived to empower over 8.8 million Nigerians across the country’s 8,809 electoral wards.

“Yes, some choices demand sacrifice. Removing subsidies, unifying our foreign exchange markets, confronting crippling inefficiency – these are not easy decisions. But these are the smart choices that free resources for investment in our people.

“His Excellency, the President has shown he is not afraid to make the tough decisions for a fair and stable nation. And here in Enugu, we have been just as audacious.

“This move is bigger than politics – it is about alignment at scale. It is about connecting Enugu’s destiny with the central hub of broader reforms shaping our nation.

“Of course, this does raise some questions: Will the voice of Enugu be heard now in Abuja?

“How will the change affect our progress at home?

“How will your lives be touched by this decision?

“Let me be clear, I will represent our state and our region with the same strength of purpose as I have always done. Our Igbo DNA does not change; our destiny does not change. What changes is that our vision now finds stronger reinforcement at the federal level.

“The progress you see today will not slow, and the projects we have begun will be completed.

“Yes, there have been challenges and delays along the way, but make no mistake, schools, hospitals, roads, and our services will be finished as promised.

“To the political elite across the South East, I say this: our people are watching. What they care about most are results. True leadership is about service to the people, not service to self. Principles, not personalities, must guide us.

“To Ndi Enugu, let me say this: this will not break our stride. We are a force of endeavour, and we need an ally who can match our ambition.

“Let me reassure you, this is not a detour, but a conscious step towards a more compelling future.

“As we begin this new chapter, I ask for your understanding, your trust, and your continued support.

“Let us gather with renewed hope to build the Enugu and the Nigeria that our children deserve.

“Finally, I want to express our most profound gratitude to Mr President for his support and encouragement of our vision. I’m confident this marks the beginning of a new era of growth and progress.

“Thank you, and may God bless Ndi Enugu; God Bless Enugu State and God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Tomorrow is here.”

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Former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not rely on defections or sitting governors to help President Bola Tinubu win the 2027 election.

It was reports that Kalu made this known on Monday, during an interview on TVC News Journalists’ Hangout anchored by Babajide Otitoju.

Kalu, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on South-East Development Commission (SEDC), said APC is relying on hard work to ensure that Tinubu emerge victorious.

According to him, the party’s growing strength in the South-East is the product of consistency, sacrifice, and visible development projects across the region by Tinubu.

He said, “We are not relying on governors or defections to win. We are relying on hard work. Politics is about commitment and results, not noise. We are on the ground and determined to ensure that President Tinubu and all APC candidates perform well in 2027, especially in Abia and across the South-East.

“In 2019, President Buhari got over 60% of the votes in my constituency, Abia North. Tinubu didn’t do well in 2023 because we didn’t mobilise enough, but this time, we are ready. Our people are beginning to see the progress in roads and infrastructure. The President has opened up roads long abandoned, and he’s doing it.”

Speaking further, Kalu dismissed the claims that the South-East has been marginalised since the civil war.

He said, “The South-East Is Not Marginalised, But Excluded Since the War.

“I can always tell you that the South-East is not really marginalised, but we were put out of the scheme of things since after the civil war,” he said. “I didn’t start the war, and I didn’t fight in it, nor did I end it. What we need is sincerity and equity so that we can all move together and develop the country.”

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