Addressing the controversy surrounding the supposed vacancy of power, Minister of State Jacques Fame Ndongo dismissed such claims as «legal, political, or even logical barbarism». He emphasized that no legal or regulatory provision in Cameroon sets a maximum duration for the absence of the Head of State from national territory.

According to him, any attempt to apply a «non-existent constitutional provision» to President Paul Biya would be akin to «the fanciful and wandering imagination of those who thrive in legal quicksand».

He further clarified that the leader, who has governed Cameroon since 1982, remains actively engaged in his duties. The President meticulously oversees files submitted by his collaborators, whether in person or through widely known electronic means.

«This is not a stay, but de facto exile»

The Movement for the Renaissance of Cameroon (MRC), led by opposition figure Maurice Kamto, swiftly responded to Ndongo’s statements. Through its vice-president, Mamadou Mota, the party posed a pointed question: «At what point does the physical absence of the Head of State render the supreme magistracy a mere illusion? Forty-five days outside national territory is not a stay—it is de facto exile.»

The MRC also mocked the suggestion that Cameroon could have become «the first country in the world governed through clandestine telecommuting», referring to President Biya’s alleged remote oversight of files via electronic means.