October 12 poll: Prof Julius Ngoh endorses Tchiroma.

After endorsing Tchiroma, Prof Ngoh called on citizens to form what he christened “Voters’ Coalition” and lead Issa Tchiroma, the “People’s Choice”, to victory.

In his endorsement statement, Prof Ngoh noted that the country is at “a political cross-road”, stating that Cameroonians have to decid on October 12, if they want to have “a strong, viable, united and veritable democratic country that addresses the interests and challenges of all Cameroonians or not”. 

“The presidential election of October 2025 is too important for us, Cameroonians, to confer our destiny to solely what our party leaders tell us. I have watched over the years, the downward decline and decay of our beloved country as the ills of corruption; unhinged embezzlement; negative tribalism; abject neglect and failure of the present government and party in power (the CPDM) for an uninterrupted period of 43 years to provide basic necessities and security to Cameroonians,” he stated.

He then noted that Cameroonians “expected the 11 opposition candidates to select, amongst themselves, a candidate to carry forward the aspirations of the vast majority of Cameroonians who clamour for change. Unfortunately, the 11 opposition candidates have been unable to heed to the people’s call for a consensual opposition candidate”.

Explains decision to endorse Tchiroma

In the statement, a copy of which he made available to The Guardian Post, Prof Ngoh justified his decision to endorse Tchiroma. He recalled the creation of what is known as the, Douala Group, comprising concerned Cameroonians, which was enlarged to become the 2025 Union for Change, UPC.

“…it included more than 60 political parties, associations and civil society organisations. It produced a Platform which includes, amongst others: a transitional period of 3-5 years; constitutional and institutional reforms; resolution of the 9-year-old armed conflict in the North West and South West Regions as well as the Boko Haram menace in the Far North Region,” he recalled.

He continued that: “The 11 opposition candidates were requested by the Union for Change to meet and select a consensual candidate and thus ensure a veritable and dynamic change for an ‘easy’ victory in October 2025. Of all the 11 candidates, only one, Issa Tchiroma of the FSNC, answered present, accepted the Platform and pledged to the Cameroonian people to uphold the Platform which is now the ‘People’s Platform’. Issa Tchiroma stood up at a time that Cameroonians needed somebody to lead them to achieve their goal”.

Ngoh, nonetheless, avers that Tchiroma, who is a former Minister in the Biya regime, “is not a Saint and I have had occasions over the years to criticise him on some of his positions and outings on political matters. But there is no Saint yet in Cameroon politics and Cameroon has never had one”. 

He praised Tchiroma’s “honesty in recognising his errors and the humility to apologise”

“Our religious teachings tell us that the Lord used the sinner and persecutor, Saul who became Paul, to do His work; Paul has become one of the greatest pillars of Christianity. Issa Tchiroma can be the ‘devil’ whom the Bishop of Yagoua referred to,” he declared.

Prof Ngoh, noted that the “CPDM controls all the sectors of governmental machinery’”, opined that there are two “coalitions” in the October 12 poll.

“The first is a coalition that has a candidate who has pledged to address the ills of the country, the demands of the people, and vowed to defend the votes of the people.  Furthermore, he is supported by the Union for Change. That candidate is Issa Tchiroma. The second coalition is that of the CPDM and the other political parties which are, directly or indirectly, covertly or overtly, seem to be with the CPDM,” he asserted. 

“Faced with the inability of the 11 opposition candidates and parties to present a consensual candidate and given the gravity of the October 2025 presidential election, I, without reservation, endorse the candidacy of Issa Tchiroma for President of the Republic of Cameroon and call on the vast majority of Cameroonians who want change to massively support and vote for the candidacy of Issa Tchiroma of the FSNC,” Prof Ngoh stated.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3579 of Monday September 29, 2025