Cameroon: Court declares itself incompetent to hear Jean-Michel Nintcheu's appeal

The Cameroonian justice system ruled on two major cases initiated by opposition politician Jean-Michel Nintcheu on September 24, 2026, in Yaoundé. According to RFI, the Mfoundi High Court declared itself incompetent to handle the complaint filed against the Secretary-General of the Presidency, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh. This decision comes more than two years after the formal filing of the appeal by the Member of Parliament in February 2024.

In his legal action, Jean-Michel Nintcheu asked the magistrates to prohibit the Secretary-General from what he described as the usurpation of the Head of State's prerogatives, specifically denouncing the practice of "high instructions." Lamenting the two-year delay taken by the court to finally declare its incompetence, the parliamentarian has already announced his intention to appeal in order to keep this issue in the public debate.

The second procedure examined on the same day concerns a petition filed by the opposition figure's political party, the Front for Change in Cameroon, directly against President Paul Biya. In this case, introduced in April 2024, the party is demanding respect for the electoral calendar and an end to the extension of the terms of members of the National Assembly. The court chose to postpone the examination of the case to November 26, 2026, to receive the prosecutor's conclusions.

These legal actions take place against a backdrop of repeated changes to electoral deadlines in Cameroon, as specified by RFI. The terms of members of parliament and municipal councilors were initially set to end in March 2025. After an initial one-year extension until March 2026, these terms were subject to a new extension that pushes their end date to the beginning of 2027.

Our perspective

Institutional transparency and strict adherence to electoral calendars are fundamental pillars for the dignity of peoples and the exercise of citizen sovereignty. Access to diligent justice is an inalienable democratic right. The legitimate aspirations of the youth and the African population require clear institutions that serve as guarantors of a fair and serene political debate.