CameroonOnline.ORG | The race toward Cameroon’s October 12, 2025, presidential election has taken a new legal turn. As of July 28, 2025, the Constitutional Council has officially received 35 appeals from candidates whose nominations were rejected by Elections Cameroon (ELECAM), the national electoral board. These appeals come in response to ELECAM’s decision on July 26, 2025, to validate only 30 out of the 100 submitted candidacies.
The Council has commenced the examination of these appeals as of July 29, in accordance with the provisions of the electoral code, which grants a 48-hour window for aggrieved parties to submit their cases. The Constitutional Council now has ten days to deliver its rulings, with the final list of eligible candidates expected no later than August 11, 2025.
Key Figures in the Appeals
Among the high-profile appeals is that of the African Democratic Movement (MANIDEM), which is contesting the rejection of Maurice Kamto’s candidacy. Kamto, a leading opposition figure, is seeking reinstatement on the presidential ballot.
In a surprising move, Robert Kona, who did not submit his candidacy, has filed a petition challenging ELECAM’s resolution itself. His appeal specifically targets the accepted candidacy of Cabral Libii, representing the Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation (PCRN), arguing for its invalidation.
Challenges Against Incumbent President Paul Biya
Two separate petitioners are targeting the candidacy of President Paul Biya, who has been approved as the flagbearer of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (RDPC). Léon Theiller Onana, whose candidacy was rejected due to a lack of party backing or independent status, has asked the Constitutional Council to disqualify President Biya from the race.
Similarly, Bertin Kisop, representing the CPSJ, has filed three distinct appeals:
A request to invalidate President Biya’s candidacy.
A petition calling for the recusal of members of the Constitutional Council.
An appeal for the reinstatement of his own candidacy, which was rejected by ELECAM.
Onana, too, has requested the recusal of specific council members, namely President Clément Atangana and Adolphe Mnkoga She.
A Wave of Reinstatement Requests
A significant number of the appeals focus on the reinstatement of rejected candidacies. Candidates such as:
André Marie Dibamou (JDC),
Jean Blaise Gwet (MPCC),
Mbabio Ngono (LD),
Ramah Nyeyeh (MOREP),
Bessiping (RFERE),
Gabriel Mouafo (RGPC),
Jacob Dimgon (independent),
and many others have challenged ELECAM’s July 26 decision. Most are seeking to be allowed back into the electoral process, arguing procedural or administrative faults in their rejection.
Next Steps
The Constitutional Council’s role as the pre-electoral dispute adjudicator is now in full force. Its decisions will have significant implications for the structure and credibility of the upcoming presidential race. All eyes are now on the Council, as it weighs the legal arguments presented by rejected candidates and delivers verdicts that will shape the final list of presidential contenders.
The clock is ticking. The nation awaits a definitive list of candidates by August 11, 2025—a pivotal moment in Cameroon’s political calendar.
