2025 presidentials: Sizing up possible opposition coalition leader.

In the build-up to the decisive election, which pundits say may make or mar the fate of the country, given the tension that is already mounting within the political arena, there have been calls for the opposition to form a coalition that can have the force to sweep the CPDM candidate off his feet. 

However, while these calls for the opposition to form a coalition have reached a crescendo, the major opposition leaders are still divided and at times firing tirades at each other, to the advantage of the ruling CPDM.

In this melee, and as Cameroonians brace up for the October presidential poll, political pundits have been questioning what political force a divided opposition will present against the CPDM candidate.

As the countdown to the election draws near, there have been growing concerns for a united opposition front to challenge the CPDM candidate. 

However, with the opposition parties still unable to form a coalition, and with some opposition leaders throwing their hats into the political ring individually and in disarray, political pundits fear that a victory of the ruling CPDM may just be a fait accompli.   

Political pundits have always said the opposition’s failure to form a coalition to face the powerful CPDM machinery is its Achilles’ heel in bringing change at the helm of the supreme magistracy.

It would be recalled that in the 1992 presidential election when the then National Chairman of the Social Democratic Front, SDF, John Fru Ndi (now of blessed memory), claimed to have beaten CPDM’s Paul Biya at the polls, though the official results put Fru Ndi second with 36% as against 39.98% for Biya, Fru Ndi’s candidacy was backed by an opposition coalition known as Union for Change. 

The late Fru Ndi’s performance in the presidential election of that year is the best any opposition candidate has ever had since the return to multiparty politics. 

It means the closest the opposition in Cameroon came to ousting Biya was when they formed a coalition.

Since then, opposition coalitions have been failing to materialize while opposition political party candidates have been recording very poor presidential election results, which have been dwindling drastically. 

This is despite the fact that the National President of Cameroon Renaissance Movement, MRC, Prof Maurice Kamto, claims to have won the 2018 presidential election. 

However, the official results had put him second, with 14.23 percent as opposed to 71.28 percent for Paul Biya.

Many who want to see the CPDM flushed out from power say the major opposition leaders must put aside pride and ego, shun “greed and selfishness”, get together to form a coalition and pick a candidate who can be a veritable force to reckon with in the presidential poll. 

Some observers have been postulating that the hope for an opposition coalition has been mired by greed and self-centeredness, pointing at the fact that a fragmented opposition will need more than a miracle to unseat the CPDM in any election. This, they say, is irrespective of how perfect the electoral process may be.

Coalition attempts failing

Meanwhile, ahead of the announcement of the election date, some opposition political leaders are known to have been making moves towards forming coalitions, attempts which have either hit the rocks or have been frustrated by the CPDM regime. 

This was the case with Political Alliance for Change, APC, and the Alliance for Political Transition in Cameroon, ATP, which were being spearheaded by Hon Jean Michel Nintcheu and Prof Olivier Mbile respectively. 

However, the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, in March 2024, had branded the two political coalition groups as having an "illegal character" and warned them to suspend their activities.

Even before Atanga Nji’s iron fist action to ‘outlaw’ the opposition coalitions, the protagonists had already been bickering over who would lead the coalition. 

Some pundits therefore think the alliances may have still crashed, even if Atanga Nji did not disallow them. 

They point to the fact that it was not the first time some political actors attempted to form a coalition and it failed because of ego, greed and infighting.

In 2004, Ni John Fru Ndi, Adamou Ndam Njoya, Antar Gassagay, together with other political party leaders could not concretise a coalition, leaving a happy Biya to stroll into another seven-year mandate at the Unity Palace. Such failures have always played into Biya and his CPDM party’s hands. 

Many observers, nonetheless, say this may be the moment for the opposition to take advantage of the growing disenchantment against the government and the Biya regime to build up a momentous force that can ride the CPDM tide.

Who may get the mantle as opposition coalition leader? 

If such a unique opposition coalition comes to fruition, watchers of the political arena are divided as to who will be the right person to lead the alliance. 

The names that have been mooted as a possible leader of an opposition coalition include Prof Maurice Kamto of Cameroon Renaissance Movement, MRC; Hon Cabral Libii of Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation, PCRN; Joshua Osih of Social Democratic Front, SDF; Akere Muna of Now Movement (he has been endorsed by Univers political party); Hon Kwemo Pierre of Union of Socialist Movements, UMS; and Serge Espoir Matomba of United People for Social Renovation, PURS.

We take a shot at sizing up these political heavyweights who have been tipped in pole possible of possibly leading an opposition coalition, if it comes to fruition. 

The strengths of these political actors analysed here may not be exhaustive, but they are telling of how well grounded they are in taking up the onerous task. 

Prof Maurice Kamto

Prof Maurice Kamto, who was once Minister Delegate to the Minister of Justice in the CPDM regime before resigning to create MRC, is a political heavyweight whose every action has been ruffling the feathers of the Biya regime.

Kamto’s international recognition as a seasoned law professor and legal luminary is one of his strengths. 

Pundits say the fact that Kamto came second at the last presidential poll in 2018, puts him among top candidates to lead an opposition coalition. 

Though the CPDM has often tried to demonise Maurice Kamto at even turn of event, the MRC National President, some pundits say, due to his lobbying, has won hearts within other political parties, including even within the ruling CPDM. 

The analysts say MRC has secret sympathisers in other parties such as the Social Democratic Front, SDF; United Socialist Movement, UMS, of Pierre Kwemo and Front for Change in Cameroon, FCC of Hon Jean Michel Nintcheu

Some CPDM supporters, who are fed up with the regime and secretly nursing the wish for change in the country, but cannot show this in public, are said to be covertly pulling strings behind the scene in support of Kamto’s MRC. 

Analysts say one of Kamto’s strengths is his solid national support base, which does not only constitute of Bamilikes, but many from across the board nationally and internationally. 

With the Bamilekes, who are majority supporters of MRC, being the financial and business heavyweights of the country, their financial support for Kamto may be a game changer within the political landscape. 

It has been mooted that some Bamileke businessmen, within both MRC and CPDM, have been mobilising financial resources to fund the campaign of Kamto, himself a Bamileke, at the 2025 presidential election.

Cabral Libii

The Member of Parliament led the Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation, PCRN, to secure a notable presence in the 2020 municipal and legislative elections, winning seats in both the National Assembly and numerous councils, particularly in the Sanaga Maritime Division of Littoral Region, which is his major stronghold.

During the 2018 presidential election, Libii sprang a surprise, emerging third with 6.28 percent, beating some old guards who had been in the political arena long before him.   

He is also recognised for his social and political activism, including his book on Community Federalism, which has sparked debate about the country's political structure. 

One of Libii’s boons is his youthfulness and the fact that he has often been outspoken on many issues that affect the downtrodden. The fact that he leads a party that has gained traction within the political space is to Libii’s advantage. 

The PCRN's remarkable showing in the 2020 twin elections, including representation in the National Assembly and municipal councils, suggests a growing support base.

His book, Community Federalism, has generated discussion about Cameroon's political system, indicating his influence on public discourse.

Joshua Osih Nambangi

The National Chairman of the SDF, which was for many years has been the leading opposition party in the country, is not a political pushover. He emerged fourth at the 2018 presidential election, garnering 3.35 percent of the vote.

Osih is perfectly bilingual, a trait which endears him to both Anglophones and Francophones. He is also young, dynamic, energetic, and with a vast knowledge of economic, governance and developmental issues from across the board. 

Though Osih’s predecessor in the SDF, John Fru Ndi, passed away two years ago, there are many Cameroonians who still swear by Fru Ndi. Osih, pundits say, can thus ride on the back of Fru Ndi’s popularity to lead an opposition coalition.

Some SDF adherents say Osih is an embodiment of political renewal in Cameroon. His manifesto, political analysts say, is attractive. 

It hinges on: A 100-day plan to restore peace in the crisis regions; a policy of dignity and development for the Grand North regions; three years to achieve institutional reform; a presidential mandate aimed at lasting national transformation.

Osih’s programme is based on core principles: Power must derive from the people, not from an elite disconnected from social realities; equal opportunity is a fundamental right, regardless of origin; social justice is a key condition for development.

His political vision, his supporters indicate, rests on three major pillars: “sovereignism, socialism and progressivism”. 

Barrister Akere Muna

Barrister Akere Muna’s political strength, pundits say are unanimous, is hinged on his profile as an international legal luminary and anti-corruption crusader. 

Over the years, he has been building a huge following, both within the grassroots and the elite.  

The heavyweight who has been rubbing shoulders with and interacting with world leaders in every sector and across the board, has also been described as a level-headed, pragmatic and down-to-earth personality.

His interaction with international personalities, pundits say, can only bring good tidings to Cameroon, if he emerges as an opposition coalition leader and is elected president. 

Pundits say Akere’s status as an international lawyer and global anti-corruption crusader can lend him some credibility and recognition on the global stage. 

They also note that his fearless criticism of the Biya regime's governance and corruption appeals to those seeking change and reform. 

Though coming from the civil society and leading the Now Movement, which has a remarkable and growing following, analysts say Akere’s endorsement by Univers party in the upcoming election provides him with a platform and a potential base for support. 

Akere Muna is also bilingual which attracts many Francophone support base for him. 

Being of Anglophone extraction and hailing from the North West Region, Akere Muna also stands an advantage for the fact that a good number of Anglophones and Francophones think it is time for an Anglophone to be president of Cameroon. 

Many of such right-thinking Francophones who want to see their Anglophone brothers also take the mantle of leadership of the country, will definitely vote for Akere. 

Many analysts see Akere, if elected president, as a potential panacea to the crisis that has been raging in the North West and South West Regions.  

Akere Muna has also been very active on the field recently, carrying out grassroots tours within communities and reaping support from the base.   

He has insisted that he is seeking just one transitional mandate as Head of State, after which he will quit. This has endeared him to many Cameroonians who say this depicts the fact that he is not a power-monger. 

Hon Kwemo Pierre

He is the Member of Parliament, MP, from the Upper Nkam Division of the West Region and onetime mayor of Bafang. Hon Kwemo also once held the post of Vice President of the National Assembly,

The party he heads, Union of Socialist Movements party, UMS, recently picked him as its flag bearer for the October presidential poll.

Kwemo has a strong grassroots base, particularly in the Upper Nkam Division of the West Region. 

The Bafang Council is currently run by UMS and the party has another parliamentary seat from Upper Nkam Division. 

After he was voted as UMS candidate during the party’s extraordinary congress in Yaounde on Saturday, May 31, Kwemo told UMS supporters and the press that despite the UMS’ strong conviction that it has what it takes to independently walk the challenge for the Unity Palace top office, the party is still fully open to embracing a coalition. 

He said the party is opened to such approaches due to its stance as a political party that believes that the interest of Cameroonians must be prioritised and placed ahead of those of separate institutions like political parties.

Serge Espoir Matomba 

The young and dynamic leader of the United People for Social Renovation, PURS, was recently designated as his party’s candidate for the October poll.

Matomba has carved his niche within the Moungo Division of the Littoral Region, where he calls the shots.

Though at the 2018 presidential Matomba came eighth, with just 0.56 percent of the vote, his supporters say since then his popularity has been soaring and his support base widening. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3478 of Thursday June 19, 2025