In the cutthroat world of politics, disagreement is normal. Debate is healthy. But what is happening to Hon. Joshua Osih, SDF candidate in the 2025 Presidential election, is neither healthy nor fair—it is a calculated smear campaign designed to distort the truth, stir division, and damage a man’s reputation in the eyes of the people he has dedicated his life to serve.
A few years ago, Hon. Osih co-signed a bipartisan letter alongside members of the ruling CPDM party, calling on the United States Congress to press for the repatriation of individuals responsible for horrific killings and kidnappings of Southern Cameroonians for ransom. Let me be absolutely clear: the letter was never about targeting “Anglophones” or silencing anyone who supports the Anglophone cause. It was about ensuring that those who spilled innocent blood—those who turned classrooms into killing fields—face justice.
Some detractors are now trying to make it sound as if it is somehow a taboo for an opposition MP to co-sign a letter with CPDM MPs. That logic is as false as it is dangerous. CPDM MPs are fellow Cameroonians, not devils. When a matter of general interest is at stake, especially one involving the lives of our citizens, there is nothing wrong with MPs of opposing parties agreeing and acting together. It happens everywhere in the world, and it is a mark of maturity, not betrayal.
Yet here we are, on the eve of a critical presidential election, watching detractors, twist that letter into something it was never meant to be. They now claim, without an ounce of honesty, that Osih called for every Anglophone in the US who supports the cause to be repatriated. This is not just a lie; it is a deliberate act of political sabotage.
No other candidate in this race has been subjected to the level of distortion and vilification that Hon. Osih has faced. And here is the bitter irony—these attacks often come not just from Francophones, but from within his own Anglophone community. Those who should stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him in the fight for justice and national unity are, instead, aiding the witch-hunt.
Let us pause and remember the children of Kumba and Ekondo Titi, children who were brutally murdered simply because they dared to seek an education. Remember the mothers who buried their sons and daughters, the fathers who could not protect their families from gunmen, the communities living under constant fear. That is the human reality behind the letter Osih signed.
Those who are trying to weaponize this letter against him owe it to the victims to tell the truth. If they truly believe in transparency, let them publish the full letter. Let the public see, word for word, that its sole intent was to ensure that murderers, kidnappers, and war profiteers cannot hide behind foreign borders.
Politics should be about vision, leadership, and service, not about tearing down those who dare to stand for justice. The manipulation of this story is shameful, and those perpetuating it should search their consciences. Cameroon deserves a debate grounded in truth, not in cynical propaganda.
As we move toward this decisive election, let us reject lies, reject manipulation, and reject the politics of destruction. Let us stand for justice, for unity, and for the truth—because that is what Hon. Joshua Osih stood for when he signed that letter, and that is what he continues to stand for today.
Ndifor Richard
Political and Civil Society Activist