Nine (9) candidates have been retained by Elections Cameroon
(ELECAM) to run for the October 7 Presidential Elections in Cameroon.
Files of 18 Candidates were disqualified from running for the
country's top job, mostly those who decided to run as Independent Candidates.
The incumbent, Paul Biya of the ruling CPDM Party will be running
against some candidates he beat at the 2011 Presidential Elections while six
new faces were retained.
Adamu Ndam Njoya is not a new comer into the race since
the formation of his party, the Cameroon Democratic Union (CDU) in 1991. Ndam
Njoya who served as Minister under the Ahidjo administration has failed in
several attempts to pose a serious challenge to Paul Biya. The CDU has had
difficulties to rise above his Division of origin.
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| Ndam Njoya |
Another candidate who knows the race is Garga Haman Adji of the Alliance for Democracy and Development
(ADD). Beaten in 2011 by Paul Biya, the ADD has not risen above the Far North
Region since he left Government in 1992 after serving as Public Service
Minister for two years.
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| Garga Haman |
The Elections on October 7 with six new comers, can be one full
with plenty of surprise, only compared to what the country witnessed in 1992.
The SDF has invested Joshua Osih to run on behalf of the party.
This is the first time since the creation of the SDF that another candidate
will run on the party's ticket other than John Fru Ndi.
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| Joshua Osih |
The SDF Presidential candidate has a strong following in the North
West where the party was founded, South West, his Region of origin and the
Littoral where he is Member of Parliament for Wouri. The perfectly Bilingual
Business magnet has vowed to create an upset in this year's race.
Retaining his candidature has simply shut the mouths of those who
wanted his candidature rejected because he is of a swiss mum, with Cameroon
intolerant to double nationality. Osih now has the chance of doing what Fru Ndi
failed to do.
Maurice Kamto of the MRC, A Lawyer of international
repute, who helped Cameroon to secure the Bakassi Penisula from Nigeria, means
business.
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| Maurice Kamto |
The Lawyer resigned from Government where he served as Minister
Delegate to the Minuster of Justice, to form the Cameroon Reniassance
Movement, a party that won ONE parliamentary seat in 2013, less than a year
after its creation
Maurice Kamto is a political heavy weight and hails from the West
Region of Cameroon
Akere Muna stormed the political landscape after an illustrious
career as a Lawyer and a son whose father sworn in Paul Biya as Cameroon’s
second Head of State will have an uphill task to win the October 7 race.
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| AKERE MUNA |
The name Muna, is a household name in Cameroon but doesn’t inspire
hope to an ordinary Cameroonian. Akere, will have to fight against family
stigma and explain to his potential voters that he should not be judged by what his
father did as an active politician.
Tongues have been wagging as Akere has the law suit against him filed by his sister and former Culture Minister, Ama Tutu Muna over the estate of their father, S.T Muna
He will run on the ticket of the Popular Front for Development,
which still to make a mark at the political scene.
Cabaral Libii of the National Union for Integration
towards Solidarity (UNIVERS), has been a social media sensation in Cameroon who
has openly castigated the policies implemented by the Biya led Government.
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| Cabaral Libii |
The Professor of Law at the University of Yaounde 2 will use his
youthfulness to appeal to more Cameroonians. Born on the 29th of
March 1980, Cabaral Libii won the “Best Booster of Cameroonian Democracy Award”
in 2017
Ndifor Afanwi Franklin is running on the ticket of the Cameroon
National Citizen Movement (CNCM) and his decision to run for public office was
received with mix feelings with some Cameroonians asking the interest of the
Senior Prophet of Kingship Ministries at the top job.
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| Ndifor Afanwi Franklin |
He will be counting on the support of the other churches who have
been praying for Cameroon since the Boko Haram insurgency and the Anglophone
crisis to give him support and have a man of God at the helm of Cameroon.
Ndifor Frank has a Ministry of close to 5000 Christians and will count
much on them to win this race.
Matomba Serge Espoir of the United People for Social Justice
is running for the first time though his party failed to impress at the 2011
Presidential Elections under Esther Dang.
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| Matomba Serge |
Matomba Serge will capitalize on his political experience as
councilor of Douala 4, and also his youthfulness can be an asset to him. The 38
year old is a little known politician in an unpopular party.
Paul Biya of the ruling
Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement has all it takes to retain the Presidency of the Republic of
Cameroon.
The incumbent has been Head of State since 1982 and is the second
longest African Head of State.
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| Paul Biya |
The CPDM flourishes in all 360 subdivisions of the country and
over the years, their National Chairman has been receiving calls to run for another
term.
The “Grand National Party” received more than 70% of the votes at
the 2011 polls and commands an absolute majority at both houses of Parliament.
Can the Opposition Form a Coalition?
Eight Political parties running against Paul Biya apparently is
small as compared to 2011 but the percentage scored by the CPDM Candidate is
frightening. The CPDM is a religion to most of its supporters who don’t see any
other candidate except Paul Biya leading the party and the country.
It will take the opposition
coalition to beat the incumbent in Cameroon. A majority of voters who no longer
believe in the Electoral process do not also believe that the nation has a
credible opposition that can take over and challenge the current status quo.
Cabaral Libii and Maurice Kamto have hinted that an opposition
coalition is possible though that they have not mention who they will invest to
run on behalf of the opposition.
Akere Muna has talked quite a lot on the subject and indicated
that he can drop his candidacy if he sees a candidate who has a better program
that his.
The Leading opposition Party has not openly made a statement about
forming an opposition coalition but party militants believe that for a
coalition to be formed, other parties should join the SDF.
BY NDI TSEMBOM ELVIS
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