Deep political rifts are surfacing within Cameroon’s ruling elite ahead of the October 2025 presidential elections, as speculation grows over whether 92-year-old President Paul Biya will seek another term.
Jacques Fame Ndongo, head of the ruling CPDM party, stated that Biya would be the party’s sole candidate in line with internal rules. However, government spokesman René Emmanuel Sadi signaled that all scenarios remain open — including Biya stepping aside.
This comes as two former ministers, Issa Tchiroma Bakary (former government spokesperson) and Bello Bouba Maigari (current Minister of Tourism), announced their candidacies in an unprecedented move, reflecting cracks in the once-solid pro-Biya coalition.
Tchiroma launched scathing criticism at the regime, saying, “The state cannot be an instrument to serve one man.”
Meanwhile, Biya faces intense resistance from the English-speaking northwest and southwest regions, where tensions have simmered since violent crackdowns on 2016 protests triggered an armed conflict that has killed over 6,000 people. These regions, home to more than two million voters, are poised to be decisive in the upcoming elections.
In power since 1982, Biya is the world’s oldest serving president. His critics accuse him of silencing opposition through military courts and repression, notably at Kondengui prison, where thousands of political detainees are reportedly held in harsh conditions.
Public discussion of the president’s health remains strictly prohibited, deemed a matter of national security. The election climate is tense, with authorities warning of “severe sanctions” against any unrest, as observers closely monitor the implications of these internal divisions for Cameroon’s political future.
