Cameroon’s Tourism Minister Maigari Enters Presidential Race as Biya’s Silence Raises Questions

 YAOUNDÉ, June 30 — Cameroon’s Minister of Tourism, Bello Bouba Maigari, has formally accepted his party’s nomination to contest the presidency in the anticipated October election, adding momentum to speculation around a possible shift in the nation’s political landscape.

The 78-year-old former prime minister, a longtime ally of President Paul Biya, confirmed his candidacy on Saturday after receiving the endorsement of the National Union for Democracy and Progress (NUDP). Maigari’s acceptance comes while he continues to hold his cabinet post, highlighting the increasingly complex political dynamics within Biya’s administration.

Significance of the Move

Maigari becomes the second senior figure from northern Cameroon to declare a presidential bid in recent days, following the resignation of Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a former government spokesperson and prominent political voice from the region. Together, their announcements point to emerging fractures in the longstanding political alliance between Biya’s central government and the northern elite—a partnership that has been instrumental in maintaining the ruling coalition’s dominance for decades.

With more than 2 million registered voters in the northern provinces of Adamawa, North, and Far North, the region represents a pivotal electoral bloc. A split among northern leaders could introduce an element of unpredictability into a race that has long been shaped by President Biya’s influence.

Context: Uncertainty Surrounding Biya

President Paul Biya, who has ruled the oil- and cocoa-producing Central African nation since 1982, has yet to confirm whether he will seek re-election. At 92 years old, he is currently the oldest serving head of state in the world. While his silence has left the political field in suspense, Maigari’s candidacy signals that some within Biya’s inner circle may be preparing for a potential post-Biya era—or are seeking to capitalize on mounting public demand for political renewal.

The resignation of Issa Tchiroma Bakary last week was widely interpreted as a move to position himself as a reformist alternative, citing what he described as “widespread calls for change” across the country.

Electoral Landscape

According to provisional figures from Cameroon’s election commission, more than 8 million citizens have registered to vote in the upcoming election. With a national population of approximately 30 million, and critical socio-political tensions simmering in various regions, the 2025 election is shaping up to be a decisive moment in the country’s political trajectory.

Observers are closely watching whether other senior figures within the ruling party or government will join the race, and whether President Biya will ultimately signal his intentions—either to extend his four-decade rule or to pass the torch to a new generation of leadership.