Cameroon: “To Beat Biya, Be on the Ground, Not Social Media”-Joshua Osih

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

BUEA, Cameroon – The Chairman of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) says the party is leading the fight to rescue Cameroon and bringing an end to the decades-long rule of President Paul Biya.

In an interview posted on the SDF Facebook page, Chairman Joshua Osih unequivocally stated that “Mr Biya is going to lose – and I am going to win.” The SDF leader emphasized that electoral victory will come not from noise on social media or television appearances but from being “on the ground and with the people.”

Honourable Osih criticized what he described as a misplaced reliance on digital platforms by some in the opposition. “To beat Mr Biya, you have to be at the polling station,” he said. “You have to be in contact with Cameroonians, not on social media and television but on the ground.”

As one of the most vocal challengers to President Paul Biya’s decades-long rule, Osih said the SDF is leading the fight to rescue Cameroon and remains committed to a campaign based on grassroots mobilization, electoral participation, and national unity.

“You don’t seem convinced that someone else can win this election,” Osih told the journalist. “But I’m here to tell you that Cameroonians deserve better than what they are living today – and that’s why we are in politics.”

He underscored the importance of a nationwide coalition: “I don’t want to become President with only votes from the North West and South West. I want to become President with the votes of all Cameroonians.”

In response to concerns over the transparency of the electoral process, Osih remained optimistic, recalling the historic 1992 presidential race where SDF founder Ni John Fru Ndi was widely reported as the winner, but the official result gave President Biya the victory. “We won in 1992 without an electoral code. We’ll win in 2025 with one,” Joshua Osih asserted.

With this message, the SDF chairman is staking his campaign on direct voter engagement, mobilization at the polling stations, and a belief in the power of collective action to bring democratic change to Cameroon. With the political momentum building toward the 2025 elections, Osih’s message is a clear call for unity, action, and belief in change at the ballot box – not behind screens.

Challenging Cameroonians to step up, Osih declared: “If you don’t participate in the election, you don’t have the right to vote, and you don’t have the right to complain.”