The Minister of Territorial Administration Atanga Nji Paul, this Thursday 03/10/2025, is on a working visit in Bafoussam. He was received by the West Region Governor, Awa Fonka Augustine, administrative authorities, security forces and ELECAM officials. The aim of his mission is to supervise electoral material distribution and security deployment ahead of the October 12 presidential election.
During the meeting with regional officials, the minister stressed that the upcoming poll is a decisive event in the life of the nation and must be organised in a peaceful, transparent and credible manner. He conveyed firm instructions from the Head of State, urging all administrative authorities to guarantee peace, stability and security before, during and after the vote. MINAT’s Atanga Nji talked about three official documents to guide the stakeholders: the Code of Good Conduct, the Observer’s Guide and the Legal Framework. These texts, he explained, summarise the electoral laws of Cameroon and are meant to place all political actors, observers and citizens “at the same level of information”. According to him, elections must be conducted like a football match, where the rules are known in advance and respected by all the players.
The minister warned against attempts to create parallel platforms to publish fake election results, calling such actions “a criminal offence against the institutions of the Republic.” He reminded stakeholders that only ELECAM and the Constitutional Council are legally empowered to handle results and complaints. Atanga Nji also cautioned political actors against hate speech, tribalism and irresponsible behaviour that could jeopardise national unity. He urged candidates to demonstrate maturity, responsibility and respect for republican values, adding that the media, both public and private, have a duty to report fairly and avoid fuelling tensions.
He concluded by assuring that the security situation in the West Region remains under control but insisted on vigilance and firm measures against anyone seeking to disrupt the process. “Cameroon’s achievements of peace, unity and living together must be preserved. No one should cross the red line,” he declared.