Push for political transition: MINAT boss slams Nintcheu & Co. for consulting jailed separatist leaders.

The consultations are said to have been within the context of what some opposition stakeholders said is a push for a political transition in Cameroon.

In a strongly-worded statement Tuesday March 12, Minister Atanga Nji insisted that, visiting jailed separatist leaders is an endorsement of the ongoing chaos in the North West and South West Regions. 

The opposition stakeholders recently met with jailed separatist leaders, serving life sentences at the Kodengui Maximum Security Prison in Yaounde. 

On Saturday March 9, Hon Nintcheu disclosed that he had a meeting with Sisiku Ayuk Tabe Julius and Co. at the Yaounde-based prison facility.

Hon Nintcheu specified that he engaged the move as leader of the Front for Change in Cameroon, FCC, political party and Coordinator of the Alliance for Political Change, APC. 

The APC has been fronting for a Kamto-led coalition, to challenge Biya at the next presidential election.

Another coalition with suspected links to Ayuk Tabe & Co.

Besides Nintcheu, academic and politician, Prof Olivier Bile, leader of the Union for Fraternity and Progress, UPF, has also been fronting another coalition. 

This is the “Alliance Pour Une Transition Politique”, ATP, which in English is, “Alliance for Political Transition”.

On March 7, a document surfaced, indicating that Prof Bile had, among other persons, reached out to Ayuk Tabe on the need for a political transition in Cameroon.

The same document, which did not carry any signature, cited the names of key actors within the political landscape, as having showed interest in working for a united opposition front to challenge Biya at the next presidential election.

Some of the names that appeared in the document as having already been contacted are; Hermine Tomaino Ndam Njoya, Valere Bessala, Aboubakar Ousaman Mey, Hilaire Zipang, Anicet Ekane, Andre Dibamou, Aboubacar Sidiki, Cyprien Olinga, Pierre Kwemo and Guibai Gattama.

The document also had another category of persons who are said to be actors of the ATP platform. These are; Akere Muna, Djeukam Tchameni, Cabrail Libii, Prosper Nkou Mvondo, Osih Joshua, Baleguel Nkot, Elimbi Lobe, Celestin Djamen, Georges Minyem, Henriette Ekwe, Jean Marck Bikoko, Denis Emilien Atangana, Prof.  Shanda Tomne, Benoit Essiga, Samuel Billong, Jean Pierre Djemba, Sam Mbaka and Phillippe Nanga.

Earlier yesterday, Member of Parliament, MP, Hon Cabral Libii, wrote on his X, formerly Twitter handle, confirming a meeting of the Prof Bile-fronted platform. He said Prof Bile had convened a meeting to focus on “a victorious political transition in 2025”.

“Visiting jailed separatist leaders provocative” 

According to the MINAT boss, reaching out to jailed separatist leaders is an act of provocation. Minister Atanga Nji wrote that, “this situation is worsened by the fact that promoters of these clandestine movements, visited terrorists in prison, who have been convicted for serious crimes committed in the North West and South West Regions, with the aim of forging a political alliance”.

He also added that the same persons “have gone as far as giving unacceptable pre-conditions to government in favour of these dangerous terrorists…”

“Opposition coalition movements illegal”

In the release, Minister Atanga Nji maintained that such groupings or any of such in gestation are “clandestine movements”.

He said as per Law No. 90-56, of 19 December 1990 on political parties, the movements have no legal status and so cannot function within the State of Cameroon.

Minister Atanga Nji, in his statement, warned that any act of defiance from whosoever, will be considered as an act of provocation of war. 

According to the MINAT boss, the political stakeholders “in search of notoriety” have in defiance of the laws in force within the last three months set up illegal movements.

He cited the "Alliance Politique Pour le Changement," loosely translated in English as “Political Alliance for Change” and "Alliance Pour une Transition Politique au Cameroon" which in English is “Alliance for Political Transition in Cameroon”.

The minister said the groupings have been engaged in varied activities such as “holding meetings, press conferences and consultations to recruit new members”.

Reiterating what he said is the clear vision of the Head of State, President Paul Biya, who has kept Cameroon as a State of law and democracy, Atanga Nji said the movements are not legalised political parties.

Atanga Nji stated that Cameroon is a country wherein fundamental rights and freedoms are guaranteed but maintained that the two groupings are outside the prescriptions of the laws in force.

On this score, he wrote: “Having no legal existence, these clandestine movements cannot carry out any political activity throughout the national territory”.

The interior minister said only legalised political parties have the right to engage in such activities. Even at that, he reminded the public that such parties must apply for authorisation from competent administrative authorities to engage in their activities. 

Such authorisations, he clarified, would be given, “taking into account the social context and the relevance of the reasons given”.

War against impunity

In what has been described as war against impunity, Minister Atanga Nji declared in his release that there is no room for disrespect of State authority.

Going by Atanga Nji, “the status of Member of Parliament or politician does not authorise anyone to defy State authority with impunity, stir up rebellion, make offensive remarks about authorities and exhibit the deliberate intention to constantly undermine public order”.

He was firm that: “Any attempt to organise any activity under,” the banned movements pushing for political transition “or any other names of the same type in the pipeline, will henceforth be considered” as a provocation of war. 

He further described the actions of the groupings as “vain moves”. 

The minister, in the statement, ordered Governors of the country’s 10 Regions, to implement without delay his instructions.

Context of Atanga Nji’s outburst

Yesterday’s outing from the MINAT boss comes in the wake of multiple mutations within opposition political formations. 

The moves gained momentum, since the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, MRC, organised its Third Ordinary Congress in Yaounde, in December 2023.

From that meeting, former Social Democratic Front, SDF, supporter and MP, Hon Jean Mitchel Nintcheu, had launched a call for an opposition coalition to challenge President Biya at the next presidential election, with Prof Maurice Kamto as leader of the said coalition.

On Saturday March 9, 2024, Hon Nintcheu disclosed that he met with jailed separatist leaders under the leadership of Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe, at the Kondengui prison.

He said in his release that they talked about the situation in the North West and South West Regions. Nincheu disclosed that Ayuk Tabe reiterated calls for the release of all arrested in connection to the crisis and the staging of an inclusive political dialogue to end the impasse.