As news of a coup d’état in Cameroon spreads across the country, a source at the Unity Palace has informed the Cameroon Concord News Group that a cabinet reshuffle is on the horizon as members of the president’s inner circle start strategizing on how to grant the ailing and collapsing Biya a massive victory in the 2025 presidential election.

The source, which elected anonymity, said there was panic in Yaoundé, especially after the coup d’état in Gabon which led to the ousting of former president, Ali Bongo, who had been hit by a massive stroke, leaving him paralyzed on one side of his body.

Following the coup d’état in Gabon, Mr. Biya has shaken up the military twice, taking possible suspects from strategic positions and dumping them in the periphery where they have little or no influence.

“The fear of a possible coup could be read on many faces in Mr. Biya’s circle. The president and his men do not have confidence in any of the military generals, most of whom have connections with the French and American forces,” our source at the Presidency said.

“The coup carried out by President Olingi in Gabon has struck fear in many minds in Cameroon. There is no trust between civilians and the military right now. The president is thinking of increasing the salaries of our soldiers as a way of calming down the military which seems to be harkening calls for a military take-over in Yaoundé,” the source added.

“Some news organizations are already suggesting that a coup d’état could be cheaper than the so-called democratic elections where millions of dollars are wasted, people killed, ballots printed and the same unpopular person is returned to power by crooks,” the source stressed.

“The purpose of the upcoming cabinet reshuffle is to take out unpopular ministers like Atanga Nji, the territorial administration minister, who is more of a liability than an asset to the President and the country. Others like Victor Mengot Arrey and Paul Tasong who actually have no portfolio and are not loved by their people are clearly on their way out. There are also rumors that the Prime Minister, Joseph Dion Ngute, might not go beyond 2025. He will be promptly replaced by a more popular Anglophone after the presidential poll and a list of possible candidates has already been established. The President is looking at South westerners and North westerners who are working at the international level as he plans to contract massive loans which will help in the country’s reconstruction after the poll,” the government insider said.

“The ruling party’s current concern is to win hearts and minds in the Northwest and Southwest regions where the population is anti-CPDM due to the conflict in those two English-speaking regions where more than ten thousand Cameroonians have lost their lives in a conflict which could have been avoided. In the coming months, supporters of the government will carry out provocative actions in those two regions to reignite the fighting, thereby causing separatists’ forces to become active as a means of rigging elections. We hope Ambazonian fighters will be smart enough not to fall into the trap. A peaceful northwest and southwest will definitely hand a huge victory to the opposition and this will be a huge blow to the government’s game plan,” our source pointed out.

“Though the Biya government is very unpopular across the country, many ruling party supporters are counting on a massive rigging machinery which the government is already designing and deploying. Ruling party stalwarts are all trembling and it is that fear which is pushing them into urging the desperately ill Biya to run again in 2025,” he added.

“Cameroonians are really counting on the military. The country is in a total mess. Only a coup d’état can help to bring back some sanity to our country. Corruption is rife, and the looting of state resources is taking place openly. There is nobody in charge in Yaoundé and many people want to amass more resources before any clean-up operations begin. I pray the military heeds the people’s call,” our source concluded.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

Editor-in-Chief and Group Chairman