Political Shift in Cameroon: SDF G27 Members, Including Jean Tsomelou, Join NUDP; Hon. Jean Michel Nintcheu Forges Separate Path
Bafoussam, July 22, 2025 – In a significant political development ahead of Cameroon’s 2025 presidential election, several members of the Social Democratic Front’s (SDF) dissident G27+ group, including former Secretary General Jean Tsomelou, have resigned from the SDF and officially joined the National Union for Democracy and Progress (NUDP). The announcement was made on Tuesday in Bafoussam, as reported by local sources including Cameroon News Agency
The G27+ group, a faction of over 30 former SDF heavyweights, had been at odds with the party’s leadership, resulting in their technical expulsion for breaching party discipline. Despite this, many, including Tsomelou, had not formally left the SDF until now. The move to the NUDP, a party led by Maigari Bello Bouba and known for its strong base in northern Cameroon, signals a strategic realignment for these political figures as the country gears up for the October 2025 presidential race.
Among the G27+ members joining the NUDP are notable figures such as Emmanuel Ntonga, Jean Robert Waffo, and Carlos Ngoualem, who had previously aligned with Hon. Jean Michel Nintcheu’s Front for Change in Cameroon (FCC) in November 2023. However, their political activity has been subdued since, with many described as “rotting in political limbo” until this recent defection.
In contrast, Hon. Jean Michel Nintcheu, the Member of Parliament for Wouri East Constituency and a prominent former G27+ member, parted ways with the SDF earlier to establish the FCC. Unlike his former colleagues, Nintcheu has not joined the NUDP, choosing instead to pursue his political ambitions independently. His decision to form a separate party has positioned him as a distinct player in Cameroon’s evolving political landscape.
The defections come at a time of heightened political activity, with the SDF having recently named Joshua Osih Nambangi as its presidential candidate during an Extraordinary Convention in Yaoundé on March 1, 2025. Analysts suggest that the G27+ members’ move to the NUDP could bolster the latter’s influence, given the political weight of these former SDF stalwarts. However, their impact remains uncertain as they seek to regain prominence after a period of relative inactivity.
The NUDP, which secured six seats in the 2007 parliamentary election and has historically been a significant opposition force, may leverage this influx of experienced politicians to strengthen its campaign. Meanwhile, Nintcheu’s FCC continues to carve its own path, potentially fragmenting the opposition vote further.
As Cameroon approaches the 2025 election, these shifts highlight the fluidity of political alliances and the challenges facing the opposition in uniting against the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM). Political observers will be watching closely to see whether Tsomelou and his colleagues can revitalize their influence under the NUDP banner and if Nintcheu’s FCC emerges as a viable contender.
Stay tuned to BaretaNews for the latest updates on Cameroon’s political landscape and the road to the 2025 presidential election!
