The president of the New Popular Movement (NMP), Banda Kani, has strongly criticized recent statements by Georges Gilbert Baongla regarding the succession to the head of state in Cameroon. According to Banda Kani, Baongla's comments, who presents himself as a son of President Paul Biya, aim to dismiss other potential contenders, notably Franck Biya, in favor of a family succession logic.
Georges Gilbert Baongla, during an appearance on Info TV, stated that the issue of succession should no longer be a public matter but should be considered a family affair. He publicly called on President Paul Biya, urging him not to make a mistake in his choice and to designate him as his successor. These statements led to Baongla being summoned to the national gendarmerie.
Banda Kani, speaking on Canal 2 International, emphasized that such remarks disqualify other contenders and reduce access to power to a mere matter of lineage. He drew a parallel between this approach and the campaign around Franck Biya, which, according to him, is also based on the idea of an almost automatic succession from father to son.
"By doing so, he disqualifies his main rival and, above all, dismisses all other sources of legitimacy for accessing power in our country, confining the issue of power to a logic of filiation, blood, and genealogy," Banda Kani stated. He insisted that double standards cannot be applied and that the dynamics built around Franck Biya must be questioned with the same rigor.
Banda Kani expressed concern about the trivialization of the idea of a family succession of power, believing that such a prospect cannot be considered legitimate or normal. He called for in-depth reflection on the principles that underpin access to power in a state. Georges Gilbert Baongla was summoned for cybercrime and defamation after claiming that Franck Biya was not the president's biological child.
Banda Kani's statements highlight the tensions and issues related to political succession in Cameroon, a sensitive subject that regularly fuels national debates. The question of succession remains open, with actors proposing different visions of access to power.
