The Social Democratic Front party’s grandiose show of strength in the two Anglophone regions, the North, Littoral and other zones during Tuesday’s May 20 march past is described by analysts as a subtle representation of the major upset the party may orchestrate during the forthcoming 2025 presidential elections as well as the municipal and legislative polls.
The Social Democratic Front party’s show during celebrations marking the 2025 National Day in Cameroon last Tuesday has sparked debates within and outside the political circles in the country. The party’s grandiose show of strength in the two Anglophone regions, the Far North, Littoral and other zones during the march past exercises has been described by analysts as a subtle representation of the major upset that the party may orchestrate during forthcoming elections in the country.
Its participation in areas like Kumba, Tiko and Mbengwi in the South West and North West regions have led to many particularly suggesting that the appearance may be a strong warning signal about the party’s chances in the 2025 presidential elections as well as the municipal and legislative polls.
Bold shows in Kumba, Tiko, Buea
The biggest area where the party is believed to have shown its full strength is Kumba, the chief town of the Meme Division of the South West Region. More than four thousand supporters of the party took part during the march past exercise donning their party fabrics in the area. The show has left analysts highlighting that it may signal the full return of the SDF domination over the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM, in the area.
Kumba had been an SDF stronghold over the years until recently when the CPDM gained grounds in the locality. Although the changes were believed to have been masterminded principally by the ongoing socio-political crisis in the North West and South West regions which affected engagements during the last legislative and municipal election in the regions, many still believed that the victory was a fresh testimony of the CPDM’s nationwide domination.
Enter the Buea fiesta
The SDF party made a similar strong statement in Buea, the capital of the South West Region and Tiko in the Fako Division of the same region. Speaking in an interview at the end of the march past exercise in Buea, the SDF head for the locality, John Ekofoa told reporters that the party’s show during the exercise highlights the body’s determination and readiness to take the command baton in the political landscape in Cameroon. “We are sensitizing our militants that we are advocating for good governance and that they should endeavor to put their names on the electoral register.
We are actually preparing for upcoming elections, and this is just the tip of the iceberg,” Efokoa stated as quoted by Cameroonian publication, the Atlantic Chronicles. “There are a lot of things that we have lost. A lot of things we have not been getting because of bad governance. We also believe that people that are watching us at this event of the 20th may nationwide should be able to understand that the SDF stands for Cameroon with better leadership,” he added.
Similar ambiance across other areas
The SDF also posted strong appearances in areas like Mbengwi in the Momo Division of the South West Region and localities in the North, Far North, Littoral, Center and other regions.
Strong signal for forthcoming polls
Tuesday’s display has been strongly described as a strong statement by the SDF party ahead of the forthcoming 2025 presidential election and the municipal and legislative elections next year. The SDF is seeking to make a strong return following its decimal performances during the last election season in Cameroon. The party finished at a disappointing fourth position during the 2018 Presidential Election, one of the lowest since the body was established over three decades ago.
The party is aiming to change the narrative in the 2025 polls where Joshua Osih who represented the structure in the 2018 will be coming in with a bag full of experience gathered from the nightmarish experience. During the 2020 legislative election, the party also lost a majority of the 18 parliamentary seats that it had in the National Assembly, particularly those in the North West and South West regions where it was outsmarted by the CPDM.
The party dropped from the 18 seats to just five, resultantly losing the position of the main opposition party in the National Assembly to the National Union for Democracy and Progress, the UNDP of Bello Bouba Maigari.
