John Fru Ndi, a towering figure in Cameroonian politics over several decades, has died aged 82.

He founded the opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) in 1990 and was at the frontline of multi-party democracy in Cameroon, defending English-speaking minority rights in the country.

According to a press release from his SDF colleagues, Fru Ndi died in the capital, Yaoundé, on Monday evening after a long period of illness.

His career included several presidential bids and he claimed to have been the true winner of the 1992 election, that saw President Paul Biya re-elected.

Fru Ndi surprised everybody in 2018 when he decided not to run for top office.

He was preparing to retire as a leader of his political party later this year.