Elvis Ngole Ngole Says CPDM Won’t Choose Different Candidate

Cameroon will hold presidential elections in October 2025, less than 10 months from now. While politicians have been declaring their political intentions, President Paul Biya, who is the chairman of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement party (CPDM), has not openly declared his intention to extend his 42-year reign. While the public thinks the CPDM may choose a different, the director of the CPDM academy, Prof Elvis Ngole Ngole, says this isn’t going to happen. Speaking to state broadcaster CRTV, Prof Ngole Ngole, one time Forestry Minister, said CPDM militants are ready for the upcoming elections with Biya as their candidate.

He dismissed the idea of a CPDM Congress to select a new candidate.

Our party has carried a reorganisation of its basic organs,” he said.

“According to our text, a congress is convened by the National President and, by the same text, the National President is our candidate when elections are convened. So that issue of party Congress is a non issue,” he added.

People opposed to Biya’s continued stay in power have urged him to step down, owing to his advanced age and the stagnation of the country’s economy and governance system.

But his CPDM allies have repeatedly dismissed concerns about his inability to continue ruling Cameroon at the age of 91.

Ahead of the October elections, the CPDM appears threatened by the opposition and has been solidifying alliances with disputed opposition leaders.

Factions of the UPC and PCRN opposition parties recently endorsed Biya as their candidate, as an opposition coalition remains uncertain.

Maurice Kamto, Cabral Libi and Osih Joshua are the big names in the opposition likely to challenge the 42-year regime of President Paul Biya.

However, the opposition leaders have been operating in different ranks and the possibilities of a coalition are slim.