Race to SDF national chairmanship goes dirty.

Ahead of the party’s elective convention, billed for October 28 to 29 in Yaounde, to pick a new National Executive Committee, NEC, members, SDF supporters have been expressing discontent as it is being mooted that some bigwigs are scheming to introduce a “strange electoral system” for the convention.

We gathered from some SDF supporters that the party’s constitution stipulates individual elections, position by position, into the NEC, but there are plans afoot to introduce a list system at the upcoming convention.

Some SDF supporters, who did not want to be named, have accused the 1^st Vice National President, Joshua Osih, of trying to use the list system to pull the blanket to his side, as they believe this electoral system will guarantee his victory. 

One of the SDF insiders, who preferred anonymity for fear of being “victimised by the current party hierarchy”, said: “They plan to bring in a list system of voting, taking into consideration that it will be difficult for other candidates to put up lists”. 

“So, the elections will not be between two or more candidates vying for same position, but for one list against another. This will greatly favour Osih as he can use the likeability of others to shove off his weaknesses. This will also make it difficult for other party bigwigs to throw their support behind an alternative candidate, fearing they might be victimised,” our source disclosed. 

Stating that the introduction of the list system is not constitutional as per the SDF statutes, our source, nonetheless, disclosed that Osih and his cronies are planning to hold an Extra Ordinary Convention before the Ordinary Elective Convention to “thrust a constitutional amendment down the throats of SDF supporters, bringing in a list system of election”.

“The SDF constitution talks of individual election, position by position, into NEC. That is what has obtained in the past. Aware that the list system is not constitutional, they are planning to hold an Extra Ordinary Convention on October 27, to amend the constitution and introduce the list system, which will be used at the convention the next day,” our source further said.

“This and other constitutional changes are expected to pave the way for Osih’s victory and they will be in his favour and at the detriment of his opponents,” the source disclosed. 

Plans to limit powers of regional, district executives 

Meanwhile, our source also disclosed that the planned constitutional amendment will also see some powers of the regional and district executives stripped and transferred to NEC.

There are also said to be plans to introduce a constitutional clause to allow NEC to appoint chargés de mission to control various regions. 

This will be similar to what obtains in the ruling CPDM, referred to as Permanent Regional and Divisional Delegations.

Party avoiding election, moving towards consensus

It has also emerged that the SDF hierarchy is becoming jittery of elections and moving more towards consensus. 

Most of the regional reorganisations in the North West and South West Regions, we gathered, were more or less consensus and not election. 

With the case of the North West Region, the reorganisation committee, led by Hon Fusi Naamukong, former Member of Parliament for Bafut Tubah constituency, met in Bamenda Saturday September 23, with delegates from all the 35 districts of the North West Region.

In an exercise that was more of a consensus than an election, 30 incumbent regional bureau members were asked if they would want to retain their positions or step down. 
While many declined from their positions, others expressed interest in keeping them while others were chosen to replace the vacant positions.

The Mayor of Bamenda III Council, Fonguh Cletus, replaced Hon Njong Evaristus as North West Regional Chairman.

Though most of the positions were elected on consensus, there was, however, a serious disagreement brought about by two delegates from Mezam, who had wanted to be Vice Regional Chair and Secretary General respectively. 

Meanwhile, Tiko’s Electoral District reorganisation is billed for the days ahead. We gathered that the party hierarchy is also trying to force consensus down the throats of supporters.

The reorginisation in West Region is slated September 30 and that of Littoral for October 1. We gathered that the party hierarchy is also pushing for consensus in these Regions, and not election. 

The proliferation of consensus within the party has not gone down well with some SDF supporters.

One of them, who opted for anonymity, said: “This will stifle political ambitions within the party. It will mean popular supporters of the party at the grassroots will find it difficult to rise within the ranks of the party”. 

“The spirit of the hierarchy is for the party to abandon election for consensus. But the SDF is a popular party. Its standing orders have always stood for elections. Why do they want to turn the party into one for negotiations?” the source questioned.

“Why should we carry this kind of attitude to NEC? If we go to the convention and there is election, the leader elected will have support from the base. Why do we have to have a leader who gets to the top simply through negotiations?” our source quizzed further.  

Three candidates in race for National Chairmanship

So far, three candidates are known to be in the race. Two of the candidates; Shewa David, Divisional Coordinator of the SDF in Donga Mantung Division of the North West Region, and Ndenge Godden Zama, Limbe I Electoral District Chairman in the South West Region, have publicly declared their candidacy. 

However, Joshua Osih Nambangi, current 1^st National Vice President, has not done so publicly. But we gathered that he has paid the stipulated 7 million FCFA non-refundable caution, indicating that he has thrown his hat into the ring for the duel. 

Meanwhile, we gathered that the former mayor of Kumbo and now Deputy Coordinator of the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction of the North West and South West Regions, Njong Donatus, has disclosed he will be running for the position of 1st Vice National President. 

Veteran journalist, Grace Ngwafor, is gunning for 1^st Vice Communication Secretary. Langsi Abel, former Mayor of Bafut, will be running for the position of National Treasurer while Hon Fobi Nchinda Simon is running for the National Political Training and Education Secretary.

Need to rebrand, regain party’s vibrancy

It should be noted that the SDF, the once vibrant leading opposition political party, has seen its political fortunes dwindle considerably. 

The party has summarily become a shadow of itself, losing control over most of its strongholds in the country, notably the North West and South West Regions.

Analysts thus say for the party to regain its vibrancy, it will need to rebrand with a new type of leadership and new face(s). 

The same analysts say in trying to rebrand the party, SDF will need to go back to the drawing board and fundamentally reboot the party to stay relevant, coin a new message, mobilise a new constituency and elect a new type of leadership imbued with new ideas and dynamism.