SDF’s Joshua Osih Announces Candidacy for Cameroon’s Presidency

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

The National Chairman of the opposition Social Democratic Front, SDF, Honourable Joshua Osih, has officially declared his intention to run for the presidency of the Republic of Cameroon, the highest office in the country. Hon. Osih made his intention known on February 1 at the end of the National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of the SDF, which was held at the Centre Regional headquarters of the party in Yaoundé.

The declaration from the once-dominant opposition party follows that of other opposition politicians and political parties, in what is expected to be an intense and competitive electoral period. With the announcement, SDF has set the stage for an internal selection process that will determine the party's official flag bearer in the October election.

The party's Secretary General, Njong Fonyuy Donatus stated that it will be the first time the SDF will have representatives in all joint electoral commissions in the country. "It is the first time that SDF is represented in all the joint electoral commissions of the country…Only the SDF and the CPDM have members in the joint electoral commission nationwide." Donatus Njong explained.

A Momentous Moment for the SDF

The Social Democratic Front Party, one of the country’s most prominent opposition political parties, has been in the political spectrum since its creation in 1990. The party founded by the late Ni John Fru Ndi has constantly positioned itself as the best alternative for the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM.
Previously its vice-president, Honourable Joshua Osih succeeded the movement's founder John Fru Ndi, who died in June 2023 after presiding over the SDF since its creation. Joshua Oshi recorded 985 votes in his favour, out of the 1565 valid votes cast for the three candidates, giving him a five-year mandate at the helm of the party.

The 56-year-old has been on a campaign since taking office to revitalize and consolidate the base of the party, a base that had felt disenfranchised. His decision to run in the 2025 presidential election marks a crucial step in his political career, as he seeks to take the party to new heights and challenge the dominance of the CPDM.
SDF’s Road to the Elections

While announcing his presidential ambition, Osih revealed that the SDF will soon organize an extraordinary convention to officially select its candidate for the elections. Though his assertion positions him as the frontrunner within the party, the decision ultimately lies in the hands of party delegates, who will determine the flag bearer.

The SDF has announced an extraordinary convention for March 1st in Yaoundé to pick a candidate that will run alongside others for the presidential election. To that effect, regional chairpersons have been charged to speed up the selection of delegates to the ordinary convention.

Political analysts believe that Osih stands a strong chance of emerging as the official SDF candidate, given his leadership role and experience in national politics. He previously ran for president in the 2018 elections, finishing in fourth place with 3.35% of the vote. Many within the party see him as the best hope for the SDF in the upcoming elections, though some have expressed their reservations.

During the meeting, Osih also outlined a strategic plan to strengthen the party’s electoral presence across the country. He stressed the importance of deploying trained polling agents to monitor voting stations and prevent electoral fraud.

“Our objective is to have 75000 polling agents before the convention…our people are out there to make sure we have able polling agents who can read and write and defend the party. It’s not an easy job but we are 60% into it already,” Honourable Joshua Osih told the press.

To him, the party needs to have agents in all polling stations. He said: “It is important for us to make sure that we have at least 3 polling agents in all polling stations in Cameroon because one of the first things we need to do as a political organization is to secure the votes and that is why I am very confident for the coming elections because we are doing the right thing.”

Rallying Electorate

One of the key issues highlighted by Osih was the importance of voter registration. Cameroon is about to enter a crucial electoral cycle, with four successive elections, including the presidential and regional elections in 2025, followed by the parliamentary and municipal elections in 2026.

Calling on Cameroonians to take advantage of the period before June 5 and massively register for the elections, he told the leaders of the SDF party that the holiday is over and no absences at meetings will be welcomed.

Rallying voters and ensuring fair elections remain some of the biggest challenges for opposition parties in Cameroon. The CPDM has maintained a strong grip on power for over four decades, and opposition parties have often accused the government of electoral misconduct.

Some political analysts believe that while Osih faces an uphill battle against the CPDM’s well-established political machinery, his leadership skills and determination could make the race more competitive.

However, critics argue that the opposition remains disjointed, and without a coalition of opposition parties, it will be difficult to defeat the CPDM candidate. Calls have been made for opposition parties to unite behind a single candidate to increase their chances of success.
With political activities expected to intensify in the coming months, Cameroonians will be watching closely as parties finalize their candidates and strategies. Whether Osih’s bid will mark a turning point for the SDF and Cameroon’s opposition remains to be seen, but his declaration has undoubtedly set the stage for a dynamic and high-stakes election.

The SDF Chairman Osih explained that there will be no room for militants who express lukewarm attitudes. “We cannot be held back by people who don’t have the political will or motivation to do their work and if the setback is financial, we don’t have time for that too. The time to cajole dead wood is over,” Osih said.