Cameroonian presidential election, 1992
Encyclopedia
A presidential election was held in Cameroon
on 11 October 1992. It was the first presidential election since multi-party politics had been legalised, and it was also the first to feature more than one candidate. Incumbent Paul Biya
won with 39.98% of the vote. Voter turnout was 71.9%.
The 1992 presidential election was a crucial moment in Cameroon's post-independence history. Although an assortment of opposition leaders—most importantly the anglophone
Social Democratic Front leader John Fru Ndi
—furiously opposed President Biya and sought to unseat him in 1990–1992, they were ultimately unable to do so. The opposition was successful in forcing Biya to accept multi-party politics and severely pressured his regime, but he nevertheless retained control of the country and faced a divided opposition in the 1992 election—the opposition's failure to present a single candidate offered a tremendous advantage to Biya, as the election rules required him to win only a plurality of the vote to win outright and therefore the opposition candidates could not unite against him in a second round. Official results showed Biya winning the election with 40% of the vote, while Fru Ndi trailed with 36%; those results were denounced as fraudulent by the opposition, and Fru Ndi claimed victory, but his claim proved fruitless.
After the election, the opposition began a long and gradual decline in strength, while Biya began to consolidate power again.
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
on 11 October 1992. It was the first presidential election since multi-party politics had been legalised, and it was also the first to feature more than one candidate. Incumbent Paul Biya
Paul Biya
Paul Biya is a Cameroonian politician who has been the President of Cameroon since 6 November 1982. A native of Cameroon's south, Biya rose rapidly as a bureaucrat under President Ahmadou Ahidjo in the 1960s, serving as Secretary-General of the Presidency from 1968 to 1975 and then as Prime...
won with 39.98% of the vote. Voter turnout was 71.9%.
The 1992 presidential election was a crucial moment in Cameroon's post-independence history. Although an assortment of opposition leaders—most importantly the anglophone
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
Social Democratic Front leader John Fru Ndi
John Fru Ndi
Ni John Fru Ndi is the founder and leader of Cameroon's Social Democratic Front .Fru Ndi was born in Baba II, near Bamenda in the Northwest Province of Cameroon. The title of Ni, a marker of respect, was given to him when he was born...
—furiously opposed President Biya and sought to unseat him in 1990–1992, they were ultimately unable to do so. The opposition was successful in forcing Biya to accept multi-party politics and severely pressured his regime, but he nevertheless retained control of the country and faced a divided opposition in the 1992 election—the opposition's failure to present a single candidate offered a tremendous advantage to Biya, as the election rules required him to win only a plurality of the vote to win outright and therefore the opposition candidates could not unite against him in a second round. Official results showed Biya winning the election with 40% of the vote, while Fru Ndi trailed with 36%; those results were denounced as fraudulent by the opposition, and Fru Ndi claimed victory, but his claim proved fruitless.
After the election, the opposition began a long and gradual decline in strength, while Biya began to consolidate power again.
Results
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Biya Paul Biya Paul Biya is a Cameroonian politician who has been the President of Cameroon since 6 November 1982. A native of Cameroon's south, Biya rose rapidly as a bureaucrat under President Ahmadou Ahidjo in the 1960s, serving as Secretary-General of the Presidency from 1968 to 1975 and then as Prime... |
Cameroon People's Democratic Movement Cameroon People's Democratic Movement The Cameroon People's Democratic Movement is the ruling political party in Cameroon.-History:Previously known as the Cameroon National Union, which had dominated Cameroon politics since independence in 1960, it was renamed in 1985... |
1,185,466 | 40.0 |
| John Fru Ndi John Fru Ndi Ni John Fru Ndi is the founder and leader of Cameroon's Social Democratic Front .Fru Ndi was born in Baba II, near Bamenda in the Northwest Province of Cameroon. The title of Ni, a marker of respect, was given to him when he was born... |
Social Democratic Front | 1,066,602 | 36.0 |
| Bello Bouba Maigari Bello Bouba Maigari Bello Bouba Maigari is a Cameroonian politician. He was Prime Minister of Cameroon from 6 November 1982 to 22 August 1983 and has been the National President of the National Union for Democracy and Progress since January 1992... |
National Union for Democracy and Progress National Union for Democracy and Progress (Cameroon) The National Union for Democracy and Progress is a political party in Cameroon, drawing its main support from the north of the country. It was established as an opposition party in the early 1990s and won the second largest number of seats in the 1992 parliamentary election... |
569,887 | 19.2 |
| Adamou Ndam Njoya Adamou Ndam Njoya Adamou Ndam Njoya is a Cameroonian politician, lawyer, author, and professor. He was Minister of National Education from 1977 to 1980, and he has been the President of the Cameroon Democratic Union , an opposition party, since 1991. He has also been the Mayor of Foumban since 1996, and from 1997... |
Cameroon Democratic Union | 107,411 | 3.6 |
| Jean-Jacques Ekindi Jean-Jacques Ekindi Jean-Jacques Ekindi is a Cameroonian politician. He is the National President of the Progressive Movement and is currently a Deputy in the National Assembly of Cameroon.... |
Progressive Movement Progressive Movement (Cameroon) The Progressive Movement is a minor opposition political party in Cameroon. It was formed on 23 August 1991 and is led by Jean-Jacques Ekindi.... |
23,525 | 0.8 |
| Emah Otu | Grouping of Patriotic Forces | 12,345 | 0.4 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 50,012 | ||
| Total | 3,015,448 | 100 | |
| Source: Nohlen et al. | |||