Cameroon’s National Salvation Front presidential candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary has vowed to “crush” President Paul Biya and other contenders in the upcoming October 12 elections, as he rallied supporters in Douala on Sunday.
“We are going to crush all the others, especially the CPDM candidate, because he is responsible for the situation we find ourselves in. I will never betray you,” Tchiroma declared to cheering crowds.
“My protection is God and the people of Cameroon. The people cannot demand change and then re-elect those responsible for the crisis. You must remain vigilant,” he added.
Footage from the rally showed thousands of enthusiastic supporters waving flags and displaying ID cards in a show of support for Tchiroma’s campaign against the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM).
Tchiroma, who served as Minister of Employment until June 2025, is mounting a strong challenge against Biya’s decades-long rule. The 92-year-old president, in power since 1982, announced in July that he would seek an eighth term, citing “numerous and insistent calls” to remain in office.
In a surprising twist, Biya’s 27-year-old daughter, Brenda Biya, recently took to TikTok to criticize her father, saying he has “made too many people suffer” and urging Cameroonians to vote him out.