Cameroon’s Tchiroma Takes Aim at Biya’s 43-Year Regime: A Call to Outmaneuver CPDM
Issa Tchiroma Bakary, once a steadfast ally of Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, has emerged as a fiery contender in the 2025 presidential race, wielding a provocative strategy to dismantle the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM). After resigning from his post as Minister of Employment and Vocational Training in June 2025, the 75-year-old leader of the Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon (FSNC) has positioned himself as a champion of change, calling for an end to Biya’s 43-year grip on power. His latest rallying cry, delivered with surgical precision, exposes the CPDM’s alleged electoral tactics and offers a blueprint to defeat the regime: “In order to win, we must have voters present in every polling station. You know the RDPC is only strong when it comes to lying and ballot box stuffing.”
Tchiroma’s words, dripping with defiance, strike at the heart of a system he once defended. Having served as a minister under Biya for nearly two decades, including as a vocal Communications Minister from 2009 to 2019, Tchiroma is no stranger to the inner workings of the CPDM machine. His accusation of ballot box stuffing—a tactic long whispered about in Cameroon’s political circles—carries weight, especially as he pivots to the opposition. In a June 2025 speech in his home city of Garoua, he lambasted the regime for perpetuating poverty and neglect in the North, urging voters to “put in your envelope what will end our misery.” This message, now amplified, underscores his belief that the CPDM’s dominance relies on electoral manipulation rather than genuine support.
The stakes couldn’t be higher as Cameroon approaches the October 12, 2025, presidential election. Biya, now 92 and the world’s oldest head of state, confirmed his candidacy in July, despite growing dissent even within his own party. Tchiroma’s strategy hinges on mobilizing voters to overwhelm polling stations, ensuring scrutiny over the process to thwart alleged fraud. “Every voice must count,” he declared in his 24-page manifesto, emphasizing a reformed electoral code and a single ballot system to restore trust in the democratic process. His call for federalism, addressing the Anglophone crisis, and youth empowerment through a National Youth Initiative Fund further signal a break from the centralized, stagnant governance he attributes to Biya’s regime.
Yet, Tchiroma’s past casts a long shadow. Critics, including political analyst Jules Domshe, argue his decades-long loyalty to Biya taints his reformist credentials. “He cannot embody change… He was part of the system for too long,” said Abdoulaye Harissou, a prominent government critic. Others, however, see his defection as a bold gamble, leveraging his influence in the vote-rich North to fracture the CPDM’s stronghold. The region, long a bastion of Biya’s support, is showing cracks, with figures like Bello Bouba Maigari also breaking ranks to run against the incumbent.
The road to victory, Tchiroma insists, lies in vigilance. By flooding polling stations with observers and voters, he aims to expose and neutralize the CPDM’s alleged tactics. His campaign, though, faces hurdles: a government ban on FSNC activities in parts of the Far North and an incident where he was barred from leaving Cameroon for a trip to Senegal suggest a regime on edge. As the election looms, Tchiroma’s message is a daring challenge to a weary nation: outnumber, outwatch, and outvote the CPDM. Whether Cameroonians will rally behind a man once complicit in the system he now seeks to topple remains the ultimate test.
