Post of Biya’s Campaign Manager: Accouchement difficile!.

Texts from the Secretary General of the Central Committee of the party, Jean Nkuete, and its leader, incumbent Head of Sate, Paul Biya, seeking an eight term, released in quick succession in the last couple of weeks, leave a major vacuum to be filled.

For the records, Biya, has since the 1992 presidential election, always appointed his sitting Prime Minister as his Campaign Manager. 

That Paul Biya has not named his Campaign Manager, barely days to the start of campaigns for the October 12 poll, has not only sent tongues wagging but raised more questions than provided answers. 

Analysts say, whether it is a decision of Candidate Biya or not, what they are reading is akin to what a French man describes as accouchement difficile, loosely translated in English as difficult delivery.

Except for the National Coordination Committee, that was announced with the Secretary General of the Central Committee, Jean Nkuete, appointed at the helm and a logistics commission within it, there has been no clear-cut communication on who is/will actually manage the campaign of President Paul Biya.

For a tradition of the Prime Minister always serving as Biya’s Campaign Manager since 1992, to now be caught in a fix and shadowy narratives in 2025, analysts say something could be amiss.

Critics are crediting their reading of the new-old campaign team design of the CPDM on Biya’s consistency on several political matters.

That nothing has been heard relating to the Campaign Manager of the Head of State, when it is no secret that the CPDM machinery for the October 12 presidential election is already running on all cylinders, pundits are saying, paints a picture of seeming infighting within the ruling party and manoeuvre to deprive the current Star Building occupant of that task.

Analysts hold that irrespective of the teams already in place, the Campaign Manager is a finisher needed by the Head of State to get real foothold of how his messages and programmes to citizens, as he seeks votes to renew his mandate.

The Campaign Manager, they say, is there to ensure uniformity and orderliness in marketing Biya. 

Such, political bookmakers say, has in the past been entrusted to a sitting Prime Minister, given that every Star Building occupant always has an edge among the President’s collaborators; especially given that he is the one who oversees the implementation of Presidential directives.

 Dion Ngute, Motaze on Biya’s mind?

Beyond the questions from the public as to why it is taking long for the President’s Campaign Manager to be announced, there are reports suggesting that Biya is taking his time to reveal the identity of who will manage his race for an eight term.

Within the corridors of power, there are reports that the President has his eyes and mind on the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Dr Chief Joseph Dion Ngute, and the Minister of Finance, Louis Paul Motaze.

Despite the two personalities being whispered, it remains unclear if Biya will go for one or both. Some are suggesting that Biya could settle on Dion Ngute as the face of his campaign with Minister Motaze serving as back up to make work on the field robust and effective.

Having managed most of the President’s most delicate programmes in the mandate winding out, Dion Ngute, it is said, has an understanding of a good number of files and report card of the President’s work and plans for the future to be able to direct his campaigns.

The rumoured Dion-Motaze team to manage the campaign of the CPDM candidate, others are saying, is a strategic possibility. 

It is viewed as being fit, given that while the Prime Minister has largely been across the nation in the last couple of years to see what is on ground, Motaze has handled financing of important projects and undertakings. 

These, among other reasons, it is being said, could make the duo good emissaries of the CPDM candidate to gauge, fire and direct his campaigns.

Biya waiting to act at unexpected time?

While the tradition of naming the Prime Minister as Campaign Manager of the Head of State is clogging this year, some analysts with a hindsight of Biya’s unpredictability are arguing that the President could still act within the next few days.

This, they say, if it happens, will only add to the President’s rare intuition in decision making and actions that have often come when people least expected.

Power tussle mired in strange narratives 

Where things are actually playing out and making it seem as if there is a break in the tradition of having the Prime Minister as the President’s Campaign Manager, political analysts say, is within the CPDM and the corridors of power.

Analysts say it is not uncommon to see that what is actually holding the announcement of Biya’s Campaign Manager is linked to power play and positioning for the government that could see the light of day after the election.

Some of those in power are said to be fighting hard to have their way to occupy certain positions within the President’s campaign team, hoping that in case of victory for Biya, they would be compensated. 

Narratives credited to such power play have emerged in the last couple of days, with some saying that Biya is on the verge of being his own Campaign Manager. 

Some are already disputing such reports, arguing that if Biya did not manage his campaigns when he was much younger, he will not be doing so at 92, irrespective of his globally acclaimed wisdom. 

Whether Biya ends up appointing a Campaign Manager or not, analysts say the flow of things are not separated from the cords of infighting among his aides. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3573 of Tuesday September 23, 2025