Calls for Biya's 8th term: How genuine?.

As age takes on President Paul Biya in his 90s, the media has often been awash with "succession battles" among his party entourage, implying that they feel it is time for a well-deserved rest for the number one Cameroonian. Several names and opposing camps within the ruling party have been touted.

In recent times, the "battles" are being embedded with several calls glossed with adorations for President Paul Biya to take a record-breaking eighth term in 2025; at an era third terms are being described as "democratic coup d'etat".

The latest call came last week from CPDM Ndian IV Section in the South West Region. Supporters of the party in the Ndian IV Section said: "We, the CPDM militants of Ndian IV Section, on the occasion of a Joint Section Conference, organised by the section in Bamusso, today October 21, call on our National President, H.E. Paul Biya, to present his candidature as President of the Republic, in the upcoming presidential election".

That surprise rhetoric from a Division hardest-hit by the Anglophone crisis, and without a petrol filling station, despite being endowed with crude oil, is coming on the heels of many others.

At a conference in June, under the theme “Discipline and revitalisation of the party,” CPDM officials of Bamboutos, West Region, in various speeches, invited President Paul Biya to stand as a candidate at the 2025 presidential election. This was to the applause of activists and supporters.   

They said: “Almost all the Subdivisions are connected to their Divisional capitals by paved roads. We can only congratulate such actions, so that those who think that those in power do nothing can witness these achievements. There is also the development of the agricultural sector which is today a reason for satisfaction. All agricultural production areas have tarred roads. This means that the evacuation of foodstuffs to our cities is now very easy.”

To them, this gives every reason to support the candidacy of their champion, President Paul Biya.

Last August, supporters, activists and elite of the ruling party in Sanaga Maritime Division of Littoral Region, threw their support for their party leader.

When Blaise Moussa was appointed CAMWATER General Manager in June, his constituents, in the presence of Joseph Le, Minister of Public Service and Administrative Reforms; Mbah Acha Rose Fomundam, Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Supreme State Audit; Gabriel Mbairobe, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Yaouba Abdoulaye, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Finance; Jean De Dieu Momo, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Justice and Armand Ndjodom, Secretary of State to the Minister of Public Works, also used the occasion to join the choir of re-election.

His Highness, Bertrand Effoudou III, who spoke on behalf of all the traditional rulers of the East Region and in ‘consultation’ with Chiefs of the West and North West Regions present at the ceremony, projected President Paul Biya as the one who ensures the "harmonious development of Cameroon in peace and who above all has brought remarkable reforms and the modernisation of traditional command with the key being its presence in the institutions of the Republic (National Assembly, Senate and regional councils)".

Also speaking as an elite of the East Region, Minister Joseph Le said: “Since the accession of the President of the Republic to the supreme magistracy, the East Region as a whole has not stopped to benefit from his great generosity. He definitely brought the rising sun out of the shadows”.

The Cameroon National Youth Council, CNJC, president for Kadey Division added that: “For the upcoming presidential election, the youth of the East Region beg President Paul Biya to be their candidate”. For the youth spokesperson, “it is in view of all the opportunities which the Head of State continues to offer to Cameroonian youth, in particular the Special Three-year Youth Plan (PTS-Youth) which has enabled several young people to enter the professional world". 

Really?

Minister Malachie, who runs a public health system that is virtually on clutches, has gone ahead with the stream of encomiums, some pure flattery and grossly exaggerated to compile a book on the political thoughts of Paul Biya titled: “The 200 most beautiful quotes from Paul Biya”, to use the English translation of the book.

To be launched on Friday in Yaounde, those who have reviewed copies of the book write that "a quote on the back cover seems to justify, according to the Minister of Health, a candidacy of Paul Biya in 2025".

The 2025 presidential nominations and even subtle re-election campaigns for President Biya seem to be on. For the CPDM, it might offer a lull in the succession battles. 

That is their cup of chilled tea. But for the sake of peace, "living together",  rule of law and democracy, the same unrestrained liberty the CPDM is having from Ndian to Kadey in organising their rallies should be enjoyed by all other opposition parties everywhere in the country.