Search for single opposition candidate: Political leaders circle around Bello Bouba, Tchiroma.

Over the weekend, several of such meetings took place in different forms. Among new actors who have given a chance to such a possibility are; Issa Tchiroma Bakari of the Cameroon National Salvation Front, FSNC, and Bello Bouba Maigari of the National Union for Democracy and Progress, NUDP.

Last Saturday, one of such crucial meetings, grouping opposition actors, took place in Yaounde. According to reports, participants spent over six hours behind closed doors, reflecting on how best the opposition can unite and defeat the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM, party in this year’s presidential election.

Political leaders who took part in the meeting were Issa Tchiroma Bakary, former Minister of Employment and Vocational Training cum leader of the FSNC and Hon Tomaino Ndam Njoya, leader of the Cameroon Democratic Union, CDU. 

Also present were Celestin Bidzigui of the Liberal Alliance Party, PAL; Prince Michael Ekosso of the United Socialist Democratic Party, USDP; Hilaire Zipang of the Progressists Movement, MP, party and a representative of the United Socialist Movement, UMS, party of Pierre Kwemo.

In different declarations after the meeting, some of the participants disclosed that everyone confirmed the need for a single opposition candidate as the easiest way to achieve a regime change through the ballot box.

The UDC of Tomaino Ndam Njoya, on its part, detailed on its official Facebook handle that focus was also on establishing criteria and portrait of the potential consensual opposition candidate. The note detailed that a calendar of activities, particularly future meetings, was agreed upon, given that the presidential poll is just months away.

Douala Group consults Tchiroma, Bello Bouba

Meanwhile, last Saturday, the Douala Group, which, for months has been on what it says is engagement with stakeholders for a united opposition front, also confirmed having met with Issa Tchiroma and Bello Bouba Maigari.

In a statement attributed to the Group’s members viz; Anicet Ekane, Sam Mbaka, Djeukam Tchameni and Zambo Nkoto Justin, it is stated that bringing forces together is the best respond to “the aspirations of the people who want change after 43 years of failure of the CPDM regime”.

The Group also congratulated Bello Bouba and Issa Tchiroma, for “declaring their willingness to build a comprehensive solution for the opposition in accordance with the will of most Cameroonians”.

It appealed to other political and social forces to embrace the push for a unified opposition front to face the CPDM, come October. The Douala Group asserted that “history will judge us,” if the opportunity of this year’s presidential is missed.

Bello Bouba, Osih Joshua also meet

Before the consultations of this weekend, Bello Bouba Maigari had also held discussions with the Social Democratic Front, SDF, National Chairman and Presidential candidate, Hon. Osih Joshua Nambangi. He was among the first political actors to have held talks with Bello Bouba, who has indicated that he is going to resign as Minister of State, Minister of Tourism and Leisure. 

The NUDP leader held closed door talks with Osih Joshua, days after the party’s Central Committee asked him to run for the October election.

Tchiroma, MRC Vice President hold talks 

Another development within the opposition that attracted public attention was an earlier meeting between Issa Tchiroma and the First Vice National President of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, MRC, Mamadou Mota. The Tchiroma-Mota discussions are also said to have touched on the possibility of emboldening the strategy of the opposition ahead of the October poll.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3496 of Monday July 07, 2025