The 2025 presidential race in Cameroon has entered a decisive phase as a flurry of high-profile candidacy submissions took place this Friday, July 18, at the headquarters of Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) in Yaoundé and other parts of the country. The day saw prominent political actors both familiar and surprising, cement their ambition to challenge for the country’s highest office in what is shaping up to be a historic election set for October 12.
In a stunning development, Leon Theiller Onana, a member of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM/RDPC), became the second candidate from the party to file a presidential bid, following President Paul Biya, whose candidacy was submitted a day earlier by close aides Jean Nkuete and Samuel Mvondo Ayolo.
Onana’s dossier was delivered via registered mail through the national postal service, Campost an unconventional but symbolic method reflecting his criticism of internal resistance.
“Despite the refusal of some administrative services to issue us required documents, our file will be submitted before the deadline,” he declared on Thursday, accusing certain factions of manoeuvring to block his path. Onana’s move has deepened speculations of dissent within the CPDM, exposing internal fault lines that may challenge party unity ahead of the elections.
Also in a dramatic turn, Bello Bouba Maigari, National President of the National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP), submitted his candidacy, signalling a definitive break from the decades-old political alliance with the CPDM. The former Prime Minister and current Minister of Tourism re-enters the presidential race 33 years after his strong showing in 1992. His move marks both a personal political resurgence and a strategic realignment of the moderate opposition, long criticised for being too cosy with the ruling regime.
Hermine Patricia Tomaino Ndam Njoya, president of the Union Démocratique du Cameroun (UDC) and current mayor of Foumban, has become the second woman to officially file a candidacy for the 2025 race. The widow of political icon Adamou Ndam Njoya, has carved her own leadership path in parliament and the coffee industry.
Veteran political figure Issa Tchiroma Bakary, leader of the Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon (FSNC), appeared at ELECAM in person dressed in a signature white boubou and accompanied by party loyalists to deposit his candidacy. The former government spokesperson and long-time political survivor becomes the 18th candidate to enter the race, reaffirming his continued relevance and intent to offer a national political alternative.
Academic and political thinker Vincent Sosthène Fouda, head of the Cameroon Movement for Social Democracy (MCPSD), made his presidential bid official with a fervent call for national renewal.
“This is not just a candidacy; it is a moment of national reconciliation,” he wrote. Fouda, known for his critiques of the "locked" system, envisions the 2025 election is a turning point and a moment of purification and rebirth. He positions himself as the standard-bearer for a disillusioned generation eager for systemic transformation.
In perhaps the most anticipated submission of the day, opposition heavyweight Maurice Kamto filed his candidacy under the banner of the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy (MANIDEM). Arriving to thunderous applause from supporters, the former Minister Delegate for Justice was flanked by MP Jean-Michel Nintcheu and other senior party members. Kamto, who came second in the 2018 election, has maintained calls for electoral reform and democratic change.
With ELECAM’s commission confirming 19 candidacy submissions as of Friday evening, the 2025 presidential race is fast becoming one of the most crowded in the country’s recent history. Alongside established figures like Akere Muna, Cabral Libii, Joshua Osih, and Jean Gwet, the diverse field includes both seasoned politicians and newcomers driven by reformist energy.
This explosion of candidacies is not merely a numbers game, it reflects deep currents of political dissatisfaction, ambition for change, and fractures within long-standing power structures. As the clock ticks toward October 12, voters now face a broad political spectrum ranging from loyalists to rebels, reformers to revolutionaries.
By Hilltopvoices Newsroom
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