Cameroon: Paul Biya’s opinion on his candidacy is awaited to put an end to the cacophony within the RDPC
With only three months left before the presidential election set to occur in October in Cameroon, there is still confusion about whether the current head of state, Paul Biya, will be a candidate. While the government spokesman, René-Emmanuel Sadi, spoke of a “50/50” chance in an interview given to RFI on Monday, July 7, the ruling party, the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), is clear: Paul Biya is their candidate.
In a statement given to the same channel, Jacques Fame Ndongo, spokesperson for the CPDM and Minister of State in charge of Higher Education, unequivocally stated that the current president will represent the party in the October presidential election.
“The CPDM candidate is appointed,” he affirmed. “Article 27, paragraph 3 of the party statutes is clear: the national president of the CPDM is by right the candidate for the presidential election. He is His Excellence Paul Biya. Everything else is just speculation.”
When asked about the lack of formal confirmation from Paul Biya himself, Jacques Fame Ndongo emphasised the reliability of his sources. “I have made all possible and actual checks. The information I am providing is from a very good source,” he assured, without however confirming a recent meeting with the head of state.
This confidence shown by the party contrasts with the more cautious words of the government spokesperson, who emphasised that no official decision had been made at this point regarding a possible candidacy of the president. This divergence in tone is perceived by some observers as revealing of internal tensions. Jacques Fame Ndongo, for his part, refutes any discord. “There is no confusion. Minister Sadi speaks on behalf of the government. I speak on behalf of the party. There is no party-state.”
This media outing nonetheless renews questions about governance and coordination at the top of the Cameroonian state, as President Paul Biya, 91 years old, has been in power since 1982. His possible candidacy for another term remains a highly sensitive issue in the country and among the political class.
While waiting for an official statement from the main interested party, the CPDM maintains its line: Paul Biya is the party’s appointed candidate, and any other hypothesis is, according to its leaders, pure speculation.
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