Camer360

With just five weeks before Cameroon’s presidential election scheduled for October 12, the country’s opposition continues to pursue the idea of presenting a single consensus candidate against the ruling party.

The plan has been under discussion for years but has faced delays and skepticism, drawing criticism and even ridicule from some observers. Nevertheless, certain opposition figures remain convinced the effort will succeed, insisting a joint candidate will be unveiled soon.

According to opposition spokesman Djeukam Chameni, the “Douala Group” — a coalition of political actors, associations, and opinion leaders — has finalized a “common program of transition and reconstruction” and is coordinating the designation process.

Chameni said the consensus candidate, if elected, would head a transitional unity government for three to five years. Its mission would include restoring peace and security, auditing the state, and carrying out sweeping political, institutional, and economic reforms aimed at ending “43 years of ineffective dictatorship.”

The announcement of the candidate is scheduled for September 13, a date symbolically marking the anniversary of the assassination of nationalist leader Ruben Um Nyobè. Organizers describe the occasion as a “resurrection of the nation.”

Whether the unveiling will lead the other 10 opposition candidates validated by Cameroon’s electoral bodies to step aside remains uncertain. The coming days are expected to provide clarity on whether unity is achievable before the vote.