A final evacuation that ends an era at the Constitutional Council
The death of Clément Atangana in Paris this morning marks a decisive turning point for Cameroon’s highest constitutional body. The president of the Constitutional Council, who had been evacuated to France for more intensive medical care, did not survive the journey. At 85, his passing closes a chapter that had become inseparable from controversy.
From Ngomedzap to the pinnacle of the judiciary
A native of Ngomedzap in the Nyong and So’o division, Atangana rose to the rank of magistrate outside the hierarchy, the highest echelon of the Cameroonian judiciary. Yet the final years of his career at the helm of the Constitutional Council left an image of partiality in electoral matters. During the 2018 presidential election disputes, the Council under his leadership drew attention for handing down a single verdict — irrecevable — to every petition that came before it. The public quickly nicknamed him “Irrecevable,” and the institution itself came to be seen as subservient to the ruling party, the Rdpc.
Moments of jubilation that fuelled suspicion
Atangana often gave his critics ammunition. On the evening the presidential results were announced, a video circulated on social media showing him celebrating with his family, declaring that Paul Biya, the outgoing candidate, had won — and referring to the Rdpc candidate as “your candidate” to those around him. The scene deepened suspicions of bias.
A motion of support and a damage-control effort
In 2025, he took part in a meeting of the Nyong and So’o development committee that produced a motion backing Paul Biya and calling on him to run in the next presidential election. A reporter from Cameroon Tribune, the government daily, covered the event, and the information sparked widespread debate and criticism. Atangana fought hard to repair his image, insisting he had attended a meeting of an apolitical association and had not stayed for the session that drafted the motion. Regardless, the impression of support for Paul Biya had already taken root among many opponents — a man who had also allowed himself to be filmed in a moment of jubilation after his appointment.
