The Social Democratic Front (SDF) has officially lodged a complaint to the President of the Electoral Board of ELECAM, denouncing what it calls “serious irregularities” in the ongoing electoral process ahead of the October 12 presidential election.
In a strongly worded letter dated October 10, 2025, the SDF Campaign Manager expressed deep concern over violations of Cameroon’s Electoral Code, accusing both ELECAM and certain administrative authorities of actions that could compromise the transparency and fairness of the upcoming polls.
Polling Stations in Military Camps and Remote Areas
The SDF highlights that several polling stations are still located inside military barracks and chiefdoms — a direct violation of Article 96(4) of the Electoral Code, which stipulates that “every polling station shall be located in a public premise or open to the public.”
According to the letter, the party had already requested the relocation of 1,153 polling stations across the country. While ELECAM partially addressed the issue, many disputed locations remain within military areas, making public access difficult or impossible.
The SDF argues that such arrangements undermine the principle of transparency and deter voters, especially in regions already affected by insecurity.
Voting Centers Outside Embassies and Consulates
The opposition party also denounced what it termed “illegal interference” by Ambassadors and foreign missions in the organization of external voting. The letter alleges that polling stations have been set up outside official Cameroonian embassies and consulates, which it says places the electoral process “under the dependence of a foreign state.”
Citing Section 272(3) of the Electoral Code, the SDF called for the immediate withdrawal of Ambassadors from any electoral role and demanded that all external polling centers operate strictly within Cameroonian diplomatic premises.
Concerns About Voter Accessibility in the Northwest and Southwest
The SDF further reminded ELECAM that elections in 2020 were canceled in the Northwest and Southwest regions due to the ongoing conflict. The party argues that little has changed since then, accusing ELECAM of moving polling centers deeper into rural and insecure areas, often more than 20 kilometers away from populated zones.
“Our field offices have denounced this irregularity,” the letter states, warning that voters in these regions are being effectively disenfranchised by these relocations.
Administrative Interference and Voter Cards
The letter also accuses some local administrative authorities of forcing voters to collect their voter cards from administrative offices instead of polling stations — a move the SDF says violates Article 85(2) of the Electoral Code. The party insists that voter cards not delivered to their owners should remain available at polling stations until the end of voting.
Call for Accountability
In conclusion, the SDF urged the Electoral Council to uphold its legal responsibilities to ensure “regularity, impartiality, objectivity, transparency, and fairness” in the elections.
“The Electoral Council must assume its responsibilities,” the Campaign Manager wrote, signing off with the SDF’s long-standing slogan, “Power to the People.”
