Cameroon’s Teachers’ Unions Did Not Endorse Joshua Osih or Bello Bouba – Here’s What Really Happened

Presidential candidate Joshua Osih has broken his silence after reports claimed that Cameroon’s teachers’ trade unions had endorsed him for the October 12, 2025 election. The Social Democratic Front (SDF) flagbearer clarified that the unions were not backing his candidacy but instead partnering with his party on election transparency.

In a statement, Osih explained that the deal was strictly about safeguarding the ballot. “On August 28, the SDF signed an MoU with COREC, a collective of 22 education unions, to secure the vote through the initiative Éducateurs Observateurs du Scrutin (EOS). Teachers are volunteering as neutral observers. This is historic and decisive for change in Cameroon: every vote counts, every ballot must be protected, every result must be credible,” Osih said, praising educators as “the sentinels of democracy.”

How the Endorsement Confusion Started

The confusion began on August 28 when leaders of the Collective of Teachers’ Trade Unions of Cameroon (COREC) met Osih in Yaoundé. Shortly after, the SDF announced on social media that eleven unions had endorsed its candidate. “Breaking News: 11 teachers’ trade unions in Cameroon officially endorse Hon. Joshua Osih, SDF presidential candidate! A strong vote for education, fairness, and a federal Cameroon,” the party wrote.

Barely four days later, on September 1, the same COREC delegation met Bello Bouba Maigari, the presidential hopeful of the National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP). The UNDP also claimed endorsement, stating that more than twenty unions were behind its candidate. The conflicting claims sparked doubts over the legitimacy of both announcements.

SDF and UNDP Give Conflicting Accounts

When contacted by MMI, SDF National Communication Secretary Kejang Henry dismissed any contradiction, stressing that his party had been collaborating with the unions long before the August meeting. “Ask them and not the SDF,” he told MMI, suggesting that the UNDP was only trying to counter the SDF’s revolutionary ideas.

For its part, the UNDP insisted Bello Bouba’s endorsement was the result of long-term negotiations. National campaign coordinator Paul Mbafor told MMI: “Address the issue to them, not us.” He added that the party had no knowledge of COREC meeting another candidate.

COREC Says No Candidate Was Endorsed

To clarify matters, MMI reached out to COREC’s General Coordinator, Assoah Etoga Roland, who provided pictures from both meetings but referred inquiries to another executive, Désiré Kaptche. Kaptche flatly denied endorsing any politician. “The meetings had nothing to do with us endorsing any candidate. It was apolitical in nature,” she said.

Inside the Memorandum of Understanding

MMI reviewed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with both parties and found no mention of political support. The unions instead agreed to cooperate on training, mobilisation, and the deployment of election observers under the EOS initiative. The MoU emphasised political neutrality and technical collaboration.

Kaptche confirmed that the unions’ only goal was to help safeguard electoral integrity. “They have been looking for observers, and we have active personnel ready to be deployed to observe the integrity of the election,” she said.

Teachers as Neutral Election Observers in 2025

Rather than choosing sides, Cameroon’s teachers are preparing to play a crucial civic role in the October 2025 elections. They aim to ensure transparency in the process, count votes fairly, and respect the people’s will.

Despite claims from both the SDF and UNDP, the unions insist their partnership is not political. Instead, they are positioning themselves as neutral defenders of democracy — guardians of the ballot box in one of Cameroon’s most consequential elections.

MMI News