2025 presidentials: They have a dream.

While some consider the buzz around the exercise as mere noise that will end with Biya renewing his mandate, others are triumphantly proclaiming that the election of October will not be business as usual.

Among those who are foretelling an electoral process that will produce results different from what has happened in the past are known names and some greenhorns. 

It is a mix of old and new faces, exercising confidence at different altitudes. Most of them are saying this year, they are going to defeat President Paul Biya in the election.

While Biya is yet to respond to massive national calls for him to seek re-election, most of those aspiring to run for the poll are seeing him on the starting block. 

Even with rules spelt out in the Electoral Code, the plethora of aspirants surfacing across the country have left many with the impression that some are yet to master the weight of what it means to run for the office of President of the Republic.

Even with the big names in the arena, political analysts say the outplay of declaration of interest to seek votes for the highest office of the land is akin to a comedy show. 

The situation, forecasters are averring, is even more complex, especially given that the country’s opposition has largely remained uncoordinated.

Worst still, the names that have some weight so far among those looking forward to contest the election, pundits say, face challenges ranging from meeting eligibility criteria and lack of political platforms deeply rooted across the country’s 10 Regions.

Even if Biya ends up being outside the picture, the reading of many is that most of those who have declared their intention to run for the presidential office are far from having the cloud needed to activate massive adherence to their ideologies.

But given the demands of democracy, which opens the field for whoever dares to dream, the game is already on. In the last couple of months, several citizens have come up, sharing their dreams of a new Cameroon. 

Some of the names have been sized as political dwarfs in uncharted waters, while others are revered figures who could find it hard stamping their visions in the heart of the highest number of voters to earn their trust.

Irrespective of the insults and criticisms that are being hurled around, so far, aspirants have not stopped positioning themselves as people who will send Biya and the CPDM out of politics, through the ballot box, come October this year. 

As thorny, difficult and herculean as many are seeing the task to be, those dreaming to replace Biya have a different view. 

The Guardian Post, nevertheless, catalogues those who have declared their intention for a ‘historic’ showdown with Biya or any other CPDM candidate, come October. Among them are familiar and hitherto unknown quantities across the political chessboard. 

Akere Tabeng Muna

Akere Muna is among the most renowned on the list of persons who have declared their intention to gain access to the Unity Palace, through the ballot box. 

Akere is not a novice in the exercise. He was a candidate in the 2018 presidential election, but dropped out at the last minute, throwing his weight behind Prof Maurice Kamto of the MRC.

Yet, this year, he is back, selling a transition vision to rebuild State institutions and set the country on the right path to give way for formidable leadership. 

Though without a political party of his own, Akere Muna, who has in recent months closed ties with the country’s oldest political formation, Union des Population du Cameroun, UPC, is working on the backing of the UNIVERS party of Prof Nkou Mvondo, to be a candidate in the poll. 

Akere has a huge national and international aura around his person, especially given his war against corruption and crusade for transparency. But how he makes capital of that to emerge as Head of State in October, is left to be seen.

Prof Maurice Kamto

The former Minister Delegate to the Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals turned-opposition politician, since 2012, is an established political bulwark across the country. 

Kamto, who founded the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, MRC, in 2012, came a distant second in the presidential poll of October 7, 2018, securing over 14 percent of the votes cast.

He has declared his intention to again run for the election this year, despite being in the eye of the storm over eligibility chances. Kamto left the political spectrum in shock in 2020, when he pulled the MRC out of the twin polls of that year.

With no elected councillors and Members of Parliament, MPs, his other options of sailing through to be a candidate in the election have been the subject of debates in the last couple of years. 

But he has insisted that he is going to be a candidate in the election. The internationally acclaimed professor of Constitutional Law and Barrister-at-Law, has been a bane to the regime in power in the last couple of years.  If he is constitutionally declared fit to run, will he turn the tides this year after claiming he won the election in 2018?

Hon Osih Joshua Nambangi

The Member of Parliament and National Chairman of the opposition Social Democratic Front, SDF, is another aspirant whom many are certain meets the eligibility criteria to be a candidate in the election. It will be his second shot at the Presidency, after he tried in 2018 and emerged fourth, with 3.36 percent of votes cast.

At that time, the late former charismatic leader of the SDF, Ni John Fru Ndi, was still alive. Close to seven years on, a lot has happened within the SDF, with several key names no longer part of the formation. 

Yet, Osih Joshua has continued shouldering on, holding on to his vision of a better Cameroon and presenting the SDF as the party with an aspirant that will put an end to the over 42-year Biya regime. 

Hon Cabral Libii

He was among the main surprises of the 2018 presidential poll. Cabral Libii through grassroots labour debuted in the presidential race and emerged third with over six percent of votes cast. Then, he was the candidate of the UNIVERS party of Prof Nkou Mvondo.

Cabral Libii later founded the Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation, PCRN, on whose ticket he was voted into the National Assembly. 

Despite the part being mired in a leadership crisis, Hon Cabral Libii has declared his intention to run for the upcoming presidential poll. 

It is left to be seen what the institutions in place will make of court rulings in his favour in cases against claims of one of the founding fathers of the party, Robert Kona, to the leadership of the PCRN.

Serge Espoir Matomba

Businessman cum politician, Serge Espoir Matomba, was in the same race seven years ago. This was under the banner of the United People for Social Renovation, PURS, party. Then he earned 19,704 votes representing 0.67 percent of votes cast.

He had been out of the scene for a while but returned few months ago and recently got invested at a congress of PURS as the party’s candidate for the upcoming election.

Valere Bertrand Bessala

Until a few weeks back, Bessala who is said to have trained as an administrator at the National School of Administration and Magistracy, ENAM, was purely known as an analysts. He had become a major voice on television platforms, sharing his perspective on trendy national issues.

Bessala recently unveiled his political platform, JUVENCE, declaring his interest to run for the Presidential election of October. He says is vision is to give Cameroon back to Cameroonians with a focus on young people.

Hilaire Zipang

Zipang is a supporter of the Progressists Movement where he is equally the Interim Leader. He is caught between running for the office of the President of the Republic and supporting a unique opposition candidate.  He declared himself an aspirant for election to the country’s top job since the close of 2024.

Celestin Bedzigui

The leader of the Liberal Alliance Party, PAL, is another active political voice in the country thought with limited national presence. 

Bedzigui had announced his intention to contest in the October 2025 election in an interview granted the French language daily Le Jour in August 2024.

Then, he had said given that he was the only one within PAL who had expressed such interest, he was certain to be confirmed during an election that must have taken place six months before the poll. He had referenced the deadline to the party’s text.

Bedizigui, a councillor at the Monatele Council, Lekie Division of the Centre Region, had at one time been mooted to be working towards a political alliance with Akere Muna. The supposed warmth between the two is believed to have failed to germinate to public knowledge.

Jean Jeuga

He is the leader of the United Front for Change, FUC, political party. Jeuga declared his interest of becoming a candidate in the election of October to vote the country’s president in February this year. 

He had in a media outing declared that the election of October will historic. According to him, Cameroonians have decided that enough is enough and things will change.

Jean Blaize Gwet

The entrepreneur who heads the Patriotic Movement for Change in Cameroon, MPCC, party is also another aspirant who is foretelling of change coming to Cameroon. 

Gwet, 68, had in a media outing said is interest in seeking votes for the highest public office of the country is to “safeguard the interest of future generations, restore the credibility of institutions….”.

During a press briefing in Yaounde on March 13, 2025, Gwet said he is ready to work to ensure Cameroonians benefit from the wealth of the nation. 

He had said among his priorities are: improving housing and living conditions; development of maritime and road infrastructure, modernisation of the military; improving the health and social welfare system, preserving peace, and social cohesion among others.

Christian Ntimbane Mbono

The lawyer, based outside the country, has also lined up, presenting himself as a leader who can change the tides for Cameroon. 

Ntimbane argues that Cameroon needs a servant leader who can make the best of what the country has in the interest of its people. He said he and his team have a new dream for Cameroon.

Prof Jean Bahebeck

He is one of the country’s best orthopedic surgeons and a diehard member of the UPC party. Unlike others who declared themselves aspirants, it was rather a faction of the UPC party that designated Prof Bahebeck as its candidate for the October poll. This was during a meeting in Bafoussam, West Region.

Bahebeck, 62, has since not rejected the nomination. He has accepted the nomination and offered several interviews in that regard, building momentum for the political exercise.

Dr Dominique Yamb Ntimba 

He too was invested by another UPC faction during a meeting in Yaounde on April 10, 2025. It was the Rose Ndjie She faction of the UPC that picked him as a personality whom participants at the meeting had said fits the political agenda of the UPC. He is an academic who lectures political and comparative philosophy at the University of Douala.

Emerging from the meeting, the faction issued a release which Ndjie signed as president and Sylvestre Le Bell Nteck as Secretary General, asking for actions to be taken to formalize Ntimba’s candidature.

It is a nomination which has left Prof Bahebeck contesting. In a media outing, he claimed Dr Ntimba was brought from the quarters to ruin his candidacy. He even claimed Dr Ntimba is a sympathizer and not a supporter of the UPC.

Barrister Ashu Emmanuel

The senior legal mind is the leader of the Reform Party. He declared his interest to enter the race in January 2025. In an address while announcing his interest in race, Barrister Ashu cited several areas of national life where he said were riddled with frailties. He said his interest is to “salvage what is left of our national pride”.

From the rule of law to human rights, handling of the public wealth and provision of basic services, security and more, Barrister Ashu said Cameroon is on the wrong track.

Aboubarkary Sidiki

He is the National President of the Cameroonian Patriotic Salvation Movement, MPSC. He was among the first to declare interest in the presidential seat ahead of October 2025. 

He has been presenting himself as an aspirant of conviction and vision. He is a known political figure in the Northern Regions who has also faced legal issues and was sometime arrested and later tried.

Biyong Joseph Espore Vybe-Mood

He came to political limelight on the ticket of the PCRN of Cabral Libii during the twin polls of February 9, 2020. Biyong who is 5^th Deputy Mayor of the Douala VI Council, declared himself a presidential aspirant in March this year. 

The young politician who long quit PCRN said his candidacy is gaining steam and said work is underway to get the required signature in line with the Electoral Code to be a candidate in the election.

Bijou Gerardine Ongmakagne Heu

She is about the only female aspirant so far eying to be in the October presidential race. On April 21, 2025, she said her decision was an “irrevocable intention” in line with the laws in place. 

Ongmakagne is promising to make Cameroon a united and prosperous country if voted Head of State. The businesswoman, aged 38 is owner of the fashion brand, Zuhaitz Couture is hoping to upset the applecart.

Asong Micheal Khumbah

At barely 36, Asong, a trained medical doctor and lawyer is pushing hard with the vision to replicate rare cases across the world where young people have walked themselves to the presidency. He declared his intention months back. 

He is promising mandatory military training for all young people between the age bracket of 17 and 40 years. Asong is also believed to admire some communist ideologies and is also promising to ban alcohol among other innovations.

Dr Ambe Valentine Ngwa

The preacher and regular panelist on several television platforms took everyone by surprise when he announced in February 2025 that he is going to run for the office of Head of State. 

He had said then that the decision is based on multiple calls from Cameroonians for him to serve them. Since then, Ngwa is yet to give other details about his political vision.

Prof Eric Essono Stimi

He made his interest in the presidential office known in May 2024. Prof Essono is running with a vision which he says is to end the Biya regime and rebuild Cameroon. 

He talks of building a democratic society where the rule of law has its place and promoting sustainable development that create jobs for citizens. 

Essono, 44, considers himself a top contender in the election. The native of Lekie Division of the Centre Region lectures at City University, New York, United States of America, USA.

Jean Marie Eyebe

The native of Monatele in Lekie Division of the Centre Region announced himself as an aspirant in April this year. The retired gendarme officer plans to run as an independent candidate. 

He has promised to make the fight against galloping youth unemployment his priority if voted into office. He is also posing as a messiah to revive the economy, through making agriculture and livestock development the livewire of job creation.

Prof Jimmy Yap

Prof Jimmy Yap is head of the Cameroon Development and Liberation Congress, MLDC, party which he said is going into the race to bring change. 

He said the party is not just there for the sake of being an opposition party but exists to cause change. In April, he was voted leader of the party during a congress in Edea, Sanaga Maritime Division.

Ndim Jacob Ngong

He is part-time teacher and famer who has awaken to his dream of leading Cameroon. Ngong declared his interest to canvas votes from compatriots to lead the country in Buea last month. 

He said as a teacher and farmer, he sees himself as a leader. Ngong, 35, said he has what it takes to help Cameroon. He decried bad governance, promised an overhaul of the entire, nation, presenting himself as a man on a rescue mission for Cameroon. He plans to run as an independent candidate.

Din Din Ferdinand aka Pipillon 

He is a musician who is mostly known by his stage name Marechal Papillon. With real name Din Din Ferdinand, he announced that he was going to be a candidate in the presidential election sometime in 2024.

Unlike others, Papillon said he will only get to serious field work as an independent candidate when the competent institutions must have validated his candidature. He claims several compatriots have been asking him to run for the office of President of the Republic.

Success Nkongho

He is a former separatist kingpin who has made a U-turn, hoping to be a candidate in the October election. Nkongho claims he has what it takes to unify Cameroon and lead it on a formidable path. He is among those who have declared such interest from outside the country.

Analysts are predicting that more aspirants would emerge even before the electorate is summoned to the poll. Beyond declaring interest, it is believed that when the chips would be down, only those who mean real business will meet the required benchmarks. 

Already, one of such aspirants, Jean Paul Ntsengue, has recoiled and thrown his weight behind CPDM leader and Head of State, Paul Biya. 

In a statement released Monday, Ntsengue cited financial constraints to pursue his agenda before declaring his trust in the leadership abilities of Biya. 

The U-turn of Ntsengue, observers say, is a pointer to what would transpire as the election further draws near. 

There are those sharing the view that, a majority of those showing interest in seeking votes for the country’s top job are simply playing to the gallery or seeking popularity.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3449 of Thursday May 15, 2025