Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has denounced the declaration of 93-year-old Paul Biya as the winner of Cameroon’s recent presidential election, describing the result as a fraud and an assault on democracy.
In a statement issued in Abuja, Frank characterized the announcement as a complete subversion of the people’s will, urging the international community to reject what he termed a “fabrication” of election results. He stated that the outcome represented a blatant disregard for democratic principles and accused the Biya regime of manipulating the electoral process to cling to power.
“The so-called results announced by the regime are a fabrication and a clear subversion of the people’s will,” Frank said. “The world must not stand by while democracy in Cameroon is strangled in broad daylight.”
Frank expressed deep concern over reports of violence and repression in the aftermath of the election. He condemned the actions of Cameroonian security forces who allegedly used gunfire and excessive force to disperse peaceful demonstrators protesting against the disputed results. According to him, citizens demanding that their votes be respected have faced brutality, mass arrests, and even death.
“Innocent Cameroonians are being killed by their own security forces simply for demanding that their votes count,” he lamented. “This bloodshed must end immediately. Those who ordered and carried out these killings must be held personally accountable before international law.”
Frank called for urgent intervention from international bodies, including the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the United Nations (UN), to investigate the alleged killings and ensure that justice is served. He insisted that impunity for such violations would embolden other regimes to continue suppressing democracy in Africa.
The activist, who currently serves as the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, criticized the African Union (AU) for its silence in the face of what he described as “blatant electoral robbery.” He said the AU’s inaction represented a betrayal of the organization’s founding ideals and a failure to uphold its responsibility to defend democracy across the continent.
“By refusing to speak out or act, the AU is enabling tyranny and helping destroy democracy on the continent,” Frank said. “It is this silence and hypocrisy that fuel coups and instability in Africa. When people are denied peaceful paths to change, they are pushed to desperation. The time has come for the AU to choose between complicity and conscience.”
Frank also urged the United States, the European Union, the United Nations, and other democratic nations to impose targeted sanctions on Biya’s government. These sanctions, he said, should include travel bans, asset freezes, and suspension of military cooperation.
“The international community must make it clear that those who rig elections, kill citizens, and destroy democratic institutions will pay a heavy price,” he warned. “Anything less would embolden other dictators across Africa to repeat this travesty.”
He asserted that the true winner of the Cameroonian presidential election was opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary, claiming that Bakary’s mandate reflected the genuine will of the Cameroonian people. Frank called on the international community to recognize Bakary as the rightful leader and to pressure Paul Biya to relinquish power peacefully.
He also appealed directly to the citizens of Cameroon, urging them not to give up in their quest for democratic freedom. “To the brave people of Cameroon: your courage in the face of tyranny is a beacon of hope,” he said. “Defend your mandate, stand for your democracy, but remain peaceful and united. The world is watching, and history is on your side.”
Frank warned that if the international community failed to act decisively, it would set a dangerous precedent that encouraged other African leaders to rig elections and suppress dissent without consequence. He emphasized that the struggle for democracy in Cameroon was not just a local issue but a test of the world’s commitment to justice and human rights.
“This must not happen,” he concluded. “The time to act is now. The world must stand with the people of Cameroon and make it clear that stolen elections and blood-stained power have no place in the 21st century.”
