Presidential poll: Religious, traditional leaders in North Region urge peace, calm.

Speaking during the outings, the leaders described peace as a vital tool for development and progress, enjoining Cameroonians to ceaselessly preach and pray for peace to reign in the country.  

“May our hearts be at peace. We pray for families to be at peace. We pray that the society will preach peace. We pray that all of us will work for peace, defend peace and promote peace,” the Archbishop of Garoua, His Grace Faustin Ambassa Njodo, was quoted by state broadcaster, CRTV, as having stated.

On his part, Rev Ndike Wesley Agbor of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, PCC, stated: “Our Lord Jesus Christ promises us the culture of peace and that is what we are praying for. Without peace, we can’t enjoy our stay here in Garoua”.  

The Lamido of Garoua, His Majesty Ibrahim El Rachidini, said traditional authorities, like their peers of religion, are also keen on ensuring that Cameroonians remain a peace-loving people.

The Lamido said the traditional authorities are, among other things, focused on fighting against the use and spread of hate speech among the population. He described hate speech as a huge weapon of destruction to the country’s peace and stability.

“Peace is what we want. We continue praying for people to avoid all forms of hate speech so that we can continue living peacefully,” the Lamido added.

The voices of the traditional and religious authorities in the North Region add to those of multiple authorities across all walks of life as the nation awaits the proclamation of the result of the October 12 presidential poll.

The Constitutional Council is expected to proclaim the result of the presidential poll by latest Monday October 27. 

Since the holding of the election on October 12, there has been a steady rise in tension principally involving supporters of incumbent Paul Biya of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM and Issa Tchiroma Bakary of the Cameroon National Salvation Front, FSNC.

The supporters and sympathisers of the two candidates, who are believed to be frontrunners in the presidential race, have been relatively going head-to-head on social media platforms.

Protests have also been held in a few localities in the country involving mainly supporters of the FSNC candidate who, like the candidate, have urged Elections Cameroon, ELECAM, and other bodies responsible for the election, to respect the people’s will by proclaiming a result that fully reflects the choice that Cameroonians made when they voted on October 12.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3601 of Tuesday October 21, 2025