Breaking: Former SDF Heavyweights in North West Region Endorse NUDP’s Bouba Bello for 2025 Presidential Race, Call for Federalism and End to Anglophone Crisis
By James Agbor, BaretaNews Correspondent
Bamenda, Southern Cameroons – August 15, 2025
In a significant political development amid Cameroon’s escalating Anglophone crisis, a group of prominent former members of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) from the North West Region, identifying as the G27++, have publicly thrown their weight behind the National Union for Democracy and Progress (NUDP) and its presidential candidate, Bouba Bello Maigari, ahead of the October 12, 2025, elections.
The endorsement, detailed in a position paper released today in Bamenda, marks a notable shift in opposition dynamics and underscores growing frustration with the ongoing conflict in the English-speaking regions. The G27++ describes itself as a faction of former senior SDF members who parted ways with the party due to divergences from its founding ideals, goals, and values. They position their support for NUDP as a strategic move to address the nation’s deep-seated divisions and bring an end to what they term a “senseless war” ravaging the Anglophone Northwest and Southwest regions.
“We, former senior members of the original SDF Party and North West members of the G27++, a group that differed with some members of the SDF as defined by the ideals, goals, and values of the Founding Fathers, do have the pleasure to stand delicate in the political life of our country,” the statement begins, emphasizing their vigilance in analyzing various political platforms.
The group praises NUDP’s agenda as the only one that aligns with the aspirations of Cameroonians, particularly Anglophones, at this “very trying moment.” They highlight Bouba Bello as a “statesman with experience in governance,” free from scandals that plague many in power, and capable of steering the country toward peace. “We believe that he can bring an end to this senseless war that has taken the lives of too many Anglophones and left our Regions in ruin. This should not be done with guns but through humane and realistic policies,” the paper asserts.
Central to their endorsement is a call for systemic reforms to resolve the Anglophone crisis, which has claimed thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands since 2016. Echoing sentiments from G27++ colleagues in the West Region, the North West faction advocates a return to federalism—a system Cameroon experienced before unification in 1972. They propose creating a Vice-President position with defined functions and rotational leadership between Anglophones and Francophones to foster equity.
“This could start with the release of all political prisoners, granting of general amnesty for those involved in the war, and the embracing of a meaningful and inclusive dialogue which will bring an end to the war,” the statement reads. They blame the crisis on a “poor, arrogant, and corrupt government” that employs “divide and rule” tactics, rather than on the people themselves. “The problem is not the Anglophone people or the Francophone people as a people but the governing leadership. The people love survival.”
The G27++ criticizes the current administration under President Paul Biya, now in his 43rd year in power, for imposing war on the Anglophone regions due to “naivety and arrogance of some individuals in authority.” They describe Cameroon as “not a nation” because of the conflict, urging a shift toward reconciliation, economic takeoff, and equality before the law for all citizens.
In a direct appeal, the group announces their formal joining of Bouba Bello and the NUDP, calling on “all our brothers and sisters who value peace, development, justice, and equality” to unite forces ahead of the polls. “We are joining Bouba Bello and the NUDP party today to contribute in bringing about the change that Cameroonians deserve and want,” they declare, expressing confidence in their ability to support the candidate in meeting public expectations.
The position paper is signed by Hon. Yoyo Mohmbankah Emmanuel, a key figure in the group, who lists his credentials as former National Financial Secretary of the SDF, former member of the National Advisory Council of the SDF, and former Questor in the Cameroon National Assembly. It concludes with patriotic invocations: “Long live the NUDP and its leader, Long live Cameroon. And may God be our keeper.”
This endorsement comes at a pivotal time, as opposition parties scramble to challenge Biya’s long-dominant Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM). The NUDP, led by Bello Bouba Maigari (often referred to as Bouba Bello), has historically positioned itself as a moderate force advocating for national unity. However, critics within Anglophone circles have questioned its effectiveness in addressing separatist demands from groups like the Ambazonia independence movement.
Analysts suggest this move by the G27++ could fragment the SDF’s base further, especially in the North West, a traditional stronghold for the party founded by Ni John Fru Ndi. The SDF has faced internal rifts in recent years, with defections and accusations of leadership failures in tackling the Anglophone crisis.
BaretaNews reached out to SDF officials for comment, but none were immediately available. As the election date approaches, this development highlights the urgent calls for dialogue and reform to avert further bloodshed in the restive regions.
Stay tuned to BaretaNews for updates on Cameroon’s political landscape and the Anglophone struggle.
