Following President Paul Biya's assumption of emergency powers in August 1983, Ahidjo, then in France, resigned as party leader.

In 1985, the UNC was renamed the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM or Rassemblement Démocratique du Peuple Camerounais—RDPC).

However, in 2000 the alliance reportedly was falling apart as the SDF sought to distance itself from the Southern Cameroon National Council (SCNC).

Moreover, some members of the opposition wanted their party leaders to join Biya's coalition government so they could share the spoils of office.

The coalition government enjoyed support from seven of Cameroon's 10 provinces, and thus secured former president Ahidjo's north–south alliance, which he had created in 1958.