Cameroonian presidential candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary has issued a powerful national address, appealing directly to the country’s military and police forces to uphold their responsibility to the public amid escalating post-election tensions. The address, titled “Appeal to the Responsibility of Our Defense and Security Forces,” came days after the October 12, 2025, presidential election, the results of which are currently disputed. Tchiroma, who has reportedly claimed victory, argued that widespread frustration and alleged electoral fraud have pushed Cameroonians “to the wall.”
The opposition candidate cautioned that the reported manipulation of election results risked plunging the Central African nation into “despair and uncertainty.” Addressing the military directly, Tchiroma firmly stated: “You are not the instruments of a man or a regime. You serve one master — the sovereign people.”
Tchiroma then urged the defence and security forces to refuse “unjust orders” and implored them not to “turn their weapons against their own brothers, sisters, parents, or children.” He stressed that the allegiance of soldiers lies with the Constitution and the nation, not with individual political figures. He added that “The moment has come to prove that Cameroon’s army is republican, dignified, and patriotic,” as he called on them to “stand on the side of truth, justice, and peace.”
The appeal follows a rise in post-vote unrest, with citizens taking to the streets to protest reported irregularities and demand transparency in the ballot counting process. Reports of alleged electoral fraud, including attempted ballot stuffing, have been echoed by civil society groups. Meanwhile, the governing party has rejected Tchiroma’s claim of victory and accused him of trying to destabilise the electoral process.
With the Constitutional Council expected to announce the final official results by October 26, the political tension remains high, highlighted by reports of clashes between security forces and opposition supporters, and an office of the governing party being set on fire.
