Overview

• President Paul Biya made a rare campaign stop in Maroua with a 25-minute speech, where turnout fell far short of expectations.
• Biya has run a largely virtual campaign, launching with a social media video critics say used AI-generated images, and a recent trip to Switzerland renewed scrutiny of his health.
• The field counts 11 challengers after Kamto's disqualification, with Akere Muna and Ateki Seta withdrawing to endorse veteran politician Bello Bouba Maigari.
• Voting is set against ongoing insecurity in the Anglophone regions and the Far North, where separatist and jihadist violence has curtailed campaigning and could suppress turnout.
• Citizen groups plan independent ballot counts to 'protect the vote,' an effort the government condemns as an attempt to manipulate public opinion.