Pierre Emmanuel Binyam and the members of his list withdrew from the Mouvement pour la Renaissance du Cameroun leadership election on 14 October 2026, three days before the party's extraordinary convention, the party said in a communique dated the same day. The communique cited persistent irregularities in the organisation of the vote, including the electoral register.
The convention is scheduled for 17 October 2026 at the party's Odza headquarters in Yaounde, called to elect a president in place of Maurice Kamto, who resigned on 8 September 2026. Tiriane Balbine Noah, who has led the party since that resignation, remains in the race. Brice Djolako withdrew earlier.
Lawyer Hyppolite Meli Tiakouang said the withdrawal deserved respect, noting that Binyam stepped aside after mobilising his campaign and with some polls showing him ahead. He described it as a political lesson for the party and for the opposition, and compared it to Hillary Clinton's withdrawal in favour of Barack Obama in 2008.
The withdrawal leaves the party's leadership question to be settled at a convention that has also drawn legal challenges, including a request by Willy Mengue to the Centre Administrative Court on 14 October 2026 to suspend it.
Sources
- Cameroun Actuel MRC : Me Hyppolite Meli admire le retrait de Binyam et y voit une leçon politique
- Actu Cameroun MRC : analyse du retrait de la liste de Pierre Emmanuel Binyam
- 237 Online Tiriane Noah, la nouvelle présidente du MRC, succède à Kamto
- 237 Online Présidence du MRC : Pierre Emmanuel Binyam se retire de la course
- Koaci Cameroun : Election au Mrc, le retrait de Pierre Emmanuel Binyam expose la fragilité démocratique de l'opposition