Cameroon: Federalist Coalition Backs Tchiroma for President Ahead of October 12 Election

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

BUEA, Cameroon – The Coalition of Cameroon Federalist Groups and Activists (CCFGA) has thrown its weight behind Issa Tchiroma Bakary’s candidacy in the October 12 presidential election, describing him as the best hope for change and a genuine federalist vision for Cameroon’s future.

In a press release signed by its chairperson, Michael Takie, the CCFGA said the endorsement followed two general assembly meetings held on September 14 and 28, 2025, where delegates overwhelmingly agreed that Tchiroma embodies the coalition's ideals.

The CCFGA, a broad coalition advocating constitutional federalism as a durable solution to Cameroon’s governance and conflict challenges, said the country is at risk of implosion if the current system continues.

“The re-election of the incumbent poses an elevated danger of Cameroon’s implosion,” Michael Takie said. “Tchiroma is a candidate with a pragmatic federalist vision for the future, an undeniable charisma to rally Cameroonians around the common goal of ending the decades of the incumbent’s disastrous governance, and the unshakable determination to defend the will of the sovereign people as expressed through the ballot box.”

The coalition, which has been vocal about the neglected Anglophone conflict in the Northwest and Southwest regions, argued that Tchiroma’s commitment to allowing the people to shape the content of a new federal constitution and federated boundaries aligns with its long-term vision for reform.

Though some Cameroonians remain critical of Tchiroma’s past role in the ruling government, the CCFGA said his willingness to embrace dialogue and collaboration with other opposition figures outweighs those concerns.

“The willingness to engage in meaningful reforms and dialogue with others outweighs the reservations Cameroonians may have about his role in the disastrous government of the incumbent president,” the coalition noted.

It further highlighted Tchiroma’s openness to integrating proposals from other federalist candidates as a sign of political maturity and inclusiveness. The coalition urged voters to treat the upcoming polls as more than a regular election, framing them instead as a referendum on President Paul Biya’s decades-long rule.

“We call on Cameroonians not just to vote for change by voting for Tchiroma, but to defend the integrity of the ballot box and the aggregated results that must reflect the general will of the sovereign people of Cameroon,” Takie said.

Accusing the ruling party of intimidation tactics, the coalition warned that state institutions may be used to undermine the opposition candidate’s momentum. It therefore called on citizens not only to vote for change but to “defend the integrity of the ballot box and the aggregated results that must reflect the general will of the sovereign people of Cameroon.”

Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a former minister and longtime political figure, has emerged as one of the notable challengers in a field dominated for decades by the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM). His campaign has gained traction among groups seeking decentralisation and structural reforms.

“Let us march resolutely toward a new Cameroon with Tchiroma, towards One Nation, federated,” CCFGA said.