Race to Unity Palace: On the starting block.

ELECAM published the list on Saturday, July 26, at its headquarter in Yaounde. The 13 were validated out of 83 candidacy files, which aspirants dropped at the elections management body.

Officials disclosed that the aspirants were put forward by 56 political parties, while 27 others deposited their files as independent candidates. ELECAM officials said 70 files were thrown out because the aspirants did not meet the conditions spelled out in the Electoral Code.

While reading the list of candidates, the Chairperson of the Electoral Board of ELECAM, Dr Enow Abrams Ebge, said they worked for four hours to vet the documents. This, he said, was done in strict respect of the Electoral Code.

Race of 13 to Unity Palace 

The 13 candidates approved by ELECAM’s Electoral Board are a mixture of familiar faces on the country’s political scene and some new faces. 

It features just one woman, Hermine Tomaino Ndam Njoya of the Cameroon Democratic Union, CDU, party.

Other candidates are; incumbent President Paul Biya, candidate of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM; Libii Ngue Ngue Cabral of the Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation, PCRN; Osih Joshua Nambangi of the Social Democratic Front, SDF; Issa Tchiroma Bakary of the Cameroon National Salvation Front, FSNC; Serge Espoir Matomba of the United People for Social Renovation, PURS; Pierre Kwemo of the Union of Socialist Movements, UMS; and Ateki Zeta Caxton of the Liberal Alliance Party, PAL.

Others are; Hilaire Marcaire Dzipan, candidate of the Progressist Movement, MP party; Jacques Bougha Hagbe of Cameroon National Citizen Movement, MCNC; Samuel Iyodi Hiram of the Cameroonian Democrats Front, FDC; Bello Bouba Maïgari of the National Union for Democracy and Progress, UNDP; and Muna Akere Tabeng of UNIVERS. Ateki Zeta Caxton and Samuel Iyodi Hiram are in the exercise for the first time.

Map of 83 aspirants 

According to ELECAM officials, the Centre Region recorded the highest number of files from aspirants totalling 56. 

This, it was said, represented 67.47 percent of all the aspirants.

It was closely followed by the Littoral Region, which received 10 files corresponding to a percentage of 12.5, officials stated. It was declared that Adamawa Region received five files while the West and South Regions recorded files from three candidates each. 

The East Region, ELECAM said, had two files while the Far North, North, North West and South West Regions received just one file each.

Comparing the statistics to that of the last presidential election in 2018, officials said in 2018, only 28 files were received. 

In 2018, officials further stated that, there were 26 male aspirants and two females while this year, there were 76 male and seven female aspirants.

Kamto, others to seek redress at Constitutional Council

Those whose files were rejected now have up till today to table their complaints at the Constitutional Council. 

Among such is Prof Maurice Kamto, formerly of the MRC, who was invested by the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy, MANIDEM, party.

Candidates react to publication of list

Some of the candidates for the election attended the ceremony for the unveiling of the list. Among them was Ateki Zeta Caxton of PAL, who said his candidacy is a symbol of hope “for millions of Cameroonians who believe in a different kind of politics”.

Prof Prosper Nkou Mvondo, leader of the UNIVERS party, whose candidate, Muna Akere Tabeng, was validated for the poll, said now is the time for field work.

Prof Mvondo said “…our goal is to turn the candidate into the President of the Republic”. 

He however said he was disappointed that Kamto, who scored 14 percent of at the 2018 presidential election and was invested by MANIDEM, was not endorsed by ELECAM.

He said: "...we must seriously question the application of our laws and the logic behind some of these disqualifications”.

The UNIVERS party boss also condemned the heavy military presence at the ELECAM headquarter in Yaounde, during the publication of the list.

“…upon arrival, I was even scared to step into the building. I think, it is time we think of living together and acknowledge we don’t need such a scene in terms of security for an occasion which was meant to be a moment of celebration”.

The Vice President of the PCRN, Barrister Rene Roger Bebe, saluted the validation of the candidacy of Cabral Libii. 

Bebe said the PCRN is open for a coalition, which is based on mutual respect and not imposed. The PCRN official thanked ELECAM for “showing independence and impartiality”.

Validated candidate, Samuel Iyodi Hiram of the FDC party said: “We worked hard for this. I want to thank FDC for endorsing me and the various partners who are accompanying us in this mission”.

Candidate expecting miracle disappointed 

Aspirant, Alain Fowe, whose file was thrown out, said he had dropped his file expecting God to touch the heart of members of ELECAM’s Electoral Board to validate it. Fowe disclosed that he will seek redress at the Constitutional Council.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3517 of Monday July 28, 2025