Democratic Union of Cameroon
Encyclopedia
The Cameroon Democratic Union is a political party
in Cameroon
. It was founded by Adamou Ndam Njoya
, a former Minister of National Education under President Ahmadou Ahidjo
.
The CDU boycotted the March 1992 parliamentary election
, along with the Social Democratic Front (SDF) due to the government's failure to meet opposition demands, which included the establishment of an independent electoral commission to oversee the election. In the May 1997 parliamentary election
, the UDC won five seats, all of them in Noun Department in the West Province
. It then boycotted the October 1997 presidential election
, along with the Social Democratic Front (SDF) and the National Union for Democracy and Progress
(UNDP).
In the parliamentary election
held on 30 June and 15 September 2002, the UDC won 5 seats, all in Noun Department, out of 180 seats nationwide. Adamou Ndam Njoya and John Fru Ndi
failed to agree on the designation of an all-opposition single candidate for the presidential election
of October 11, 2004. As a result, Ndam Njoya represented a coalition of political parties, the Coalition for National Reconciliation and Reconstruction, and placed third in the final ballot count, winning 4.47% (168,318 votes).
Njoya was re-elected for another five year term as CDU Chairman at a party congress in Yaoundé
, attended by about 3,000 delegates, on 30 November–2 December 2006; there was no challenger for the position.
The UDC won four out of the 163 initially declared seats in the July 2007 parliamentary election
; it won all four of these seats in the Noun Centre constituency, where the party received 58.28% of the vote. The UDC did not gain any seats in the partial election, held in September, for 17 seats where the initial results were annulled.
At the time of the 2007 election, the CDU formed an alliance with the Progressive Movement
(MP) of Jean-Jacques Ekindi
, agreeing not to run candidates in the Wouri Centre constituency, where the MP was competing.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Cameroon
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...
. It was founded by 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...
, a former Minister of National Education under President Ahmadou Ahidjo
Ahmadou Ahidjo
Ahmadou Babatoura Ahidjo was the first President of Cameroon from 1960 until 1982.-Early life:Ahidjo was born in Garoua, a major river port along the Benue River in northern Cameroun, which was at the time a French mandate territory...
.
The CDU boycotted the March 1992 parliamentary election
Cameroonian parliamentary election, 1992
Parliamentary elections were held in Cameroon on 1 March 1992. They were first multi-party elections for the National Assembly since 1964, although they were boycotted by the Social Democratic Front and the Cameroon Democratic Union. The result was a victory for the ruling Cameroon People's...
, along with the Social Democratic Front (SDF) due to the government's failure to meet opposition demands, which included the establishment of an independent electoral commission to oversee the election. In the May 1997 parliamentary election
Cameroonian parliamentary election, 1997
Parliamentary elections were held in Cameroon on 17 May 1997. The result was a victory for the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement, which won 116 of the 180 seats, including seven constituencies in which the result had originally been cancelled by the Supreme Court due to serious...
, the UDC won five seats, all of them in Noun Department in the West Province
West Province (Cameroon)
The West Region is 14,000 km² of territory located in the central-western portion of the Republic of Cameroon. It borders the Northwest Region to the northwest, the Adamawa Region to the northeast, the Centre Region to the southeast, the Littoral Region to the southwest, and the Southwest...
. It then boycotted the October 1997 presidential election
Cameroonian presidential election, 1997
Presidential elections were held in Cameroon on 12 October 1997. They were boycotted by the main opposition parties, the Social Democratic Front, the National Union for Democracy and Progress, and the Cameroon Democratic Union, as well as the smaller African Peoples Union. As a result incumbent...
, along with the Social Democratic Front (SDF) and the 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...
(UNDP).
In the parliamentary election
Cameroonian parliamentary election, 2002
Parliamentary elections were held in Cameroon on 30 June 2002. The result was a victory for the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement, which won 149 of the 180 seats. In 17 constituencies the result was cancelled by the Supreme Court due to irregularities and the election re-run on 15...
held on 30 June and 15 September 2002, the UDC won 5 seats, all in Noun Department, out of 180 seats nationwide. Adamou Ndam Njoya and 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...
failed to agree on the designation of an all-opposition single candidate for the presidential election
Cameroonian presidential election, 2004
The 2004 Cameroonian presidential election took place in Cameroon on 11 October 2004. Incumbent President Paul Biya was easily re-elected in an election which the opposition claimed had seen widespread electoral fraud.-Background:...
of October 11, 2004. As a result, Ndam Njoya represented a coalition of political parties, the Coalition for National Reconciliation and Reconstruction, and placed third in the final ballot count, winning 4.47% (168,318 votes).
Njoya was re-elected for another five year term as CDU Chairman at a party congress in Yaoundé
Yaoundé
-Transportation:Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport is a major civilian hub, while nearby Yaoundé Airport is used by the military. Railway lines run west to the port city of Douala and north to N'Gaoundéré. Many bus companies operate from the city; particularly in the Nsam and Mvan neighborhoods...
, attended by about 3,000 delegates, on 30 November–2 December 2006; there was no challenger for the position.
The UDC won four out of the 163 initially declared seats in the July 2007 parliamentary election
Cameroonian parliamentary election, 2007
A parliamentary election was held in Cameroon on 22 July 2007, with some polls held again on 30 September 2007. 1,274 candidates stood for the 180 seats in the National Assembly, with 41 parties participating...
; it won all four of these seats in the Noun Centre constituency, where the party received 58.28% of the vote. The UDC did not gain any seats in the partial election, held in September, for 17 seats where the initial results were annulled.
At the time of the 2007 election, the CDU formed an alliance with the 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....
(MP) of 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....
, agreeing not to run candidates in the Wouri Centre constituency, where the MP was competing.