The political crisis deepening within La République du Cameroun has taken a dramatic turn. Opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary has resurfaced after days of silence. He has openly challenging the Biya regime, giving it 48 hours to release all persons arrested in connection with the October 12 presidential elections.
In a fiery declaration posted on his official Facebook page, Tchiroma accused the regime of state terrorism, political cleansing, and electoral robbery, calling the swearing-in of Paul Biya a “sacrilegious act” that mocked both God and the people. He said Cameroonians have endured decades of humiliation and repression under a system that survives through fear and deceit.
“For the first time in our nation’s history, all Cameroonians have their backs against the wall, confronted by state-based gangsterism and dictatorial terror,” Tchiroma declared. He denounced what he described as arbitrary arrests and unlawful detentions of hundreds of citizens who merely exercised their political rights.
The self-declared President-elect said the so-called victory of Paul Biya was a “theatrical manipulation”, insisting that the people’s will was stolen once again through a fraudulent process. “Biya was never elected by Cameroonians,” Tchiroma said. “When he placed his hand on the Bible, it was not an oath before God but a desecration of faith.”
Tchiroma’s statement directly threatens to mobilize citizens against the Yaoundé regime if his ultimatum is ignored. “I give this regime 48 hours to free all those illegally detained. After that, Cameroonians will have no choice but to defend themselves and recover their freedom,” he warned.
His remarks have sent shockwaves across the fractured republic, already struggling with growing dissent and multiple crises. The declaration also exposes the deepening collapse of legitimacy within the colonial regime, whose institutions have long been discredited in the eyes of both the international community and the oppressed peoples under its rule.
For Ambazonians, Tchiroma’s outburst is seen as a rare moment of truth from within the enemy’s camp, confirming what Southern Cameroons liberation movements have long declared: that the system in Yaoundé is built on deceit, violence, and electoral fraud. His words mirror the long-standing outcry of Ambazonians who have faced the same state-sponsored terror for decades — killings, arbitrary arrests, and the silencing of dissenting voices.
As the 48-hour ultimatum ticks, tension mounts across the territory. Whether Tchiroma’s defiance will ignite a broader movement or be crushed by the iron fist of the Biya regime remains to be seen. But one thing is clear, the cracks within La République are widening, and the call for freedom is echoing louder than ever across the land.
By Lucas Muma
