Biya, Kamto, Akere… risk disqualification!.

As the electoral board of ELECAM began meeting Tuesday in Yaounde, uncertainty looms over the validation of the candidacy files of the said postulants.

While the two aspirants including President Biya and CPDM municipal councilor, Leon Theiller Onana, submitted files on behalf of the ruling party, it is same case for the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy, MANIDEM party. Here, Professor Maurice Kamto and Dieudonne Yebga are seeking office of president under the same party. 

For the UNIVERS party, both Barrister Akere Muna and one Chantal Adelaide Tagne Membouet have submitted files for the race. 

The matter is even more complicated for the UPC where three aspirants including Prof Jean Bahebeck, Abdouraman Hamadou Baba and Dominque Yamb Ntimba have also tabled files under the canopy of the same party.

With the multiple submission of candidacy files from same political party, it is left to be seen what the decision of the electoral board of ELECAM will be.

If thrown out by ELECAM, the aspirants will be left with the only option of seizing the Constitutional Council for the reinstatement of their candidacies.

Test of country’s democracy 

It should be recalled that in 2018, the Constitutional Council had thrown out the candidacy files of two UPC aspirants. Two rival factions of the UPC had each submitted aspiring candidates to ELECAM under the same party banner. 

When the matter was heard before the Constitutional Council, the apex elections tribunal ruled that the move violated the law and disqualified both candidates from the presidential race.

Citing Article 121, paragraph 2 of the country’s Electoral Code, which states that “…a legally constituted political party may present only one candidate for the presidential election”, the Council set a clear precedent insisting that no political party can field multiple candidates.

The CPDM is now face to face with history as the ruling party faces a similar challenge. Two individuals, Paul Biya and Léon Onana, have submitted their candidacies under the CPDM ticket. The situation has triggered nationwide debate and speculations. 

As the country awaits ELECAM and subsequently the Constitutional Council’s verdicts, observers say the credibility of the country’s electoral institutions hangs in the balance. 

One seat, 82 aspirants…

At the close of the period of the submission of candidacies Monday night, 82 aspirants to the post of President had submitted their files in ELECAM offices across the country.

The electoral body has up to August 13 at the latest to declare those retained for the race. It is the first time in the history of Cameroon since the return of multiparty politics that such a number of aspirants were submitting files for the race to Etoudi. 

The highest number which came close to the current figure was 51. That was in the presidential election of 2011.

Besides incumbent President Paul Biya, who has submitted his papers on the ticket of the CPDM, to succeed himself, others include Leon Theiler Onana, still of the CPDM, Kisob Bertin of the Cameroon Party for Social Justice, CPSJ; Muna Akere Tabeng of the UNIVERS Party; Kamgan-Tan Eric of Libération Démocratique pour le Changement Républicain Camerounais, LDCRC; Zeh Amvene Genevieve, an independent candidate; Gwet Jean of the Patriotic Movement for Change in Cameroon, PMCC.

There is also:  Bougha Hagbe of Mouvement Citoyen National Camerounais, MCNC; Djaouro Ruben under the banner of Parti National des Patriotes Camerounais, PNPC, Osih Joshua of the Social Democratic Front, SDF; Libi Li Ngue Cabral of the Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation, PCRN; Bello Bouba Maigari of the National Union for Democracy and Progress, UNDP; Prof Maurice Kamto of the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy, MANIDEM.

Meanwhile, Choupo Kamgaing Herve dropped his file as an independent candidate. Journalist Tuile Tuile Roger is also on the list of aspirants with the party Debout le Cameroun. 

Among the few women who have also applied is Tomaino Ndam Njoya of the Cameroon Democratic Union, CDU. The Union of African Populations, UPA, has as its aspirant, Simo Mambou Isaac Merlin. 

Issa Tchiroma Bakary of the Cameroon National Salvation Front, FSNC, is in the race. Hie Cyriaques Clement is seeking to contest the election independently just like Noutcha Fosso Eric GhislainAbdou Wassou is using the platform of the Republican Pact for Unity and Progress, PRUP, to seek approval as a candidate. 

Fomo Ngota Jean-Marie deposited her documents on the platform of the Cameroon Renaissance Social Democratic party, RSDC meanwhile Ngwese Ekosso Prince Michael, also has his name of the list of aspirants with the United Socialist Democratic Party, USDP,Tchawou Ngankam Honore is seeking to run independently. The same goes for Kamchi Kamtchi Paul Alain.

Ngangue Kamgang Magloire is aspiring to give Biya a run for his money on the ticket of the Union pour le Changement Générationnel de Paradigme du Cameroun, UCGP; Nguedam Albert is on a similar assignment having been invested by the Democratic Movement for Development Party. Eliane Veronique Eboutou has written her name as a potential candidate too. 

She is banking on the Participation Nationale pour une Action Citoyenne au Cameroun, PNACC, to run the race. The political party Young Democrats of Cameroon has as aspirant, Dibamou Andre Marie.

Former civil society actor-turned politician, Ateki Seta Caxton is the aspirant of the Liberal Alliance Party, PAL, of Celestin Bidzigui.  

Shewa David is also an aspirant. He has deposited his documents on the platform of Patriotic Movement for a New Cameroon, PMNC. 

Din Din Ferdinand, popular musician known as Papillons also dropped his documents with the backing of the party, Les Partisans Mbengono Zouame epse Nozie Ngono Guyleine and Reem Benjamin are seeking to run for the election independently. 

Eyenga Nkoumou Jean Jacques is also wearing the hat of an independent candidate in the mix just like Mfoula Mfoula Credic Gael, Ndim Jacob Ngong, Daloutou Hamada and Ondoa Omgba Alfred.

Nkainmbi Promise Nkainmbi of Réconciliation Démocratique du Cameroun Uni is also another wonder in the political pack. 

Dzipan Hilarie Marcire of the Progressive Movement, MP; Kwemo Pierre of the United Socialist Movement, UMS and Motomba Serge Espoir of the United People for Social Renovation, PURS are also in the pot of aspirants.

Ndemanou Antoine De Padoue of the Rassemblement Du Peuple sans Frontière, RDPF-KUMSZE, joined the game yesterday. The same goes for Ndjamo Djamen Celestin of Alliance Patriotique et Républicaine du Cameroun, APAR.

Fouda Essomba Vincent Sosthene wants to run in the poll in the ticket of MCPSA while Teuabou Andre dropped his file as a candidate of Parti Socialiste Populaire Camerounais, PSPC. 

Late entries on Monday night included; Aboubakary Sidiki, Batoua Silas, Mohamadou Laminou Adamou, Bouba Michel, Aboubakar Kamaldine Yaya, Tonleu Matsa Jacques Marius, Yem Eboko Pierre Joseph, Kalniga Kassaboh Dieudonne, Sali Naiwoudou Baba and Ango Mfou’ou David Boris.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3512 of Wednesday July 23, 2025