Veteran lawyer and anti-corruption campaigner Akere Tabeng Muna has broken his silence on why he stepped down from the 2025 presidential race, offering a heartfelt apology to his supporters while insisting that his decision to back fellow opposition figure Bello Bouba Maigari was taken in the national interest.
Speaking several days after his endorsement, the former Bar Council President said he understood the shock and disappointment his move had caused, but stressed that Cameroon’s political reality demanded unity rather than fragmentation.
“My brothers and sisters, I know that many of you were surprised, even hurt by my decision. I sincerely apologize,” Muna said. “But I ask you to understand that in the face of eleven divided candidates and a regime deploying its full machinery of fraud, the cry of the people was clear: unite or fail.”
Barrister Akere Muna explained that his endorsement of Bello Bouba Maigari followed lengthy negotiations in which key pillars of his campaign were agreed upon. He cited an uncompromising fight against corruption, a rethinking of the state in favour of federalism, a new inclusive approach to the crisis in the North West and South West regions, the unconditional release of political prisoners, and the recognition of dual nationality. According to him, these were not concessions but firm conditions for a credible alliance.
“Bello Bouba Maigari agreed to these pillars, which I consider threshold requirements for reconciliation and for putting the people back at the centre of governance,” Akere Muna noted.
The former presidential hopeful insisted that his decision was not about ambition but about rescuing Cameroon from what he described as four decades of stagnation and despair.
He urged his supporters to transfer their energy and determination to the coalition now built around Bello Bouba Maigari.
“We must stop fighting one another. We must transform our citizens into the army that will bring salvation to their own country,” he declared. “Victory is possible, but only if we are united.”
Analysts say Muna’s latest statement was an attempt to mend fences with his base, many of whom felt abandoned when he abruptly left the race. By returning to explain his motives, he hopes to consolidate his following and reassure reform-minded voters that his political vision has not been lost but carried forward under the coalition.
He ended his address with a renewed appeal for collective action as the October 12 polls draw near. “God has blessed our country. Let us unite in appreciation,” he said. “On election day, let us vote for Bello Bouba Maigari and send a clear message that Cameroon is ready for change.”
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