The Social Democratic Front (SDF) has issued a strong statement denouncing political intimidation in Tombel, Southwest Cameroon, where a local Divisional Officer reportedly obstructed party officials and the electoral commission, ELECAM, from pasting campaign posters for presidential candidate Hon. Joshua Osih.
This incident, which occurred in a region where the SDF has long-standing grassroots support, is being described by the party as a blatant violation of democratic norms. The SDF asserts that neither ELECAM nor any administrative authority holds the legal mandate to dictate where opposition parties may display campaign materials. Such interference, they argue, is not only unlawful but emblematic of the broader intimidation tactics used to silence dissenting voices.
What makes this episode particularly disturbing is the double standard it reveals. While posters for the ruling CPDM party and its candidate, President Paul Biya, are freely displayed across the country, opposition parties like the SDF are systematically prevented from exercising the same right. This selective enforcement undermines the principles of fairness, equality, and political pluralism, cornerstones of any functioning democracy.
The SDF has made it clear: it will not stand idly by while its rights are trampled. The party vows to resist and confront any form of political intimidation aimed at silencing the opposition. It calls on Cameroonians and the international community to take note of this injustice and to demand accountability from those who abuse state institutions for partisan gain.
As the October 12 presidential elections approach, the stakes are high. The SDF’s message is unequivocal: democracy in Cameroon must be protected. That means ensuring equal access to public space, respecting the rule of law, and upholding the dignity of all political actors, regardless of affiliation.
If Cameroon is to be recognized as a nation governed by democratic principles, such acts of intimidation must end. The future of the country depends not just on who wins the election, but on whether the process itself reflects the values of justice, transparency, and respect for all.
