Cameroon’s presidential campaign officially opened on Saturday, with 12 candidates initially in the running ahead of the October 12 election. The vote could either extend or end President Paul Biya’s 43 years in power.
Among Biya’s challengers is his former ally, Bello Bouba Maigari, who launched his campaign with a rally in Douala. “Monitor the vote counting process. Reject any fraud. Don’t let your victory be stolen. Real change will come from the people, and no one will be able to stop it if you stand as its guardian,” he told supporters.
During the event, Maigari introduced two former candidates, Ateki Seta Carson and Akere Muna, who have withdrawn from the race to join his coalition. There are also growing calls for him to unite with another leading contender, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who is expected to launch his campaign this week.
Despite widespread agreement among opposition leaders on the need for unity, they remain divided over who should emerge as the single challenger. Meanwhile, hundreds turned out in Douala on Sunday to support 45-year-old Cabral Libii, a former journalist who finished third in the 2018 presidential election.
“We want a new person as head of state because since I was born, I have only known one president,” one Libii supporter said. Another added, “For once, we need someone new, a young person like Cabral. That’s why I support him.”
Roughly 8 million voters are registered for the upcoming election. Incumbent Paul Biya, at 92 years old the world’s oldest sitting president, is seeking an eighth term in office.
Source:Africa Publicity
