CPDM senatorial investitures in NW, SW: Ngolle Ngolle, Elung Paul flex muscles over choice of Kupe-Muanenguba candidate!.

The most hairsplitting of episodes that marked the exercise was recorded in Buea on Friday January 27.

The Guardian Post gleaned on good authority that what developed within days of the regional investiture committee meetings as disagreements, hit the roof as the deadline for the submission of candidates drew near.

In the cool of the Buea Council chambers where the South West Regional Investiture Committee was meeting, emotions are said to have gone loose between the Minister, Deputy Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic, Paul Elung Che, and the former Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle. Both CPDM bigwigs hail from Kupe-Muanenguba division, in the South West region.

The adrenaline in both personalities, authoritative sources told The Guardian Post, reached boiling point over the choice of the candidate to represent Kupe-Muanenguba in the election.

 It is reported that former Minister Ngolle Ngolle had opted for two-term Senator, Agnes Ntube Ndode, to continue, but Minister Paul Elung reportedly objected.

Our dependable sources said Ngolle Ngolle projected issues of continuity; Ntube’s position as President of the Association of Business Women in Cameroon, GFAC, to which the First Lady, Chantal Biya, attaches a lot of importance, among others.

The former forestry boss is said to have pressed on, submitting to the regional investiture committee that Senator Ntube should be allowed on the list.

This, The Guardian Post gathered, was a task Ngolle Ngolle did amidst interruptions from Minister Elung, who reportedly pushed for a younger candidate.

As emotions choked the arguments from both officials, members of the regional investiture committee are said to have been left aghast as the assistant SG at the Presidency inched in quick succession towards Ngolle Ngolle.

In what looked like a movie being staged, both Ngolle Ngolle and Elung, our highly placed sources maintained, exchanged words bitterly before the later reportedly folded his sleeves in readiness for punches to start flying across the room.

At some point, we learnt the curriculum vitae of Senator Agnes Ntube was brought to the floor for examination of certain allegations raised.

Minister Tasong stops bleeding nose scenario

We further gathered that it took the acrobatic intervention of the Minister Delegate to the Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development, MINEPAT, in charge of Planning, Paul Njukang Tasong, for both Ngolle Ngolle and Elung to fall short of turning the meeting hall into a boxing ring.

The bitter exchanges had provoked each other’s spleen, and punches, we were told, were just seconds away when Minister Tasong ‘miraculously’ emerged to keep  itchy fists under check.

Emotions, supposedly fuelled by a longstanding crusade for new blood in the  South West constituency of the Senate, we got, had subdued every political calculation which ministers and other highly-placed officials of the South West region having in relation to the forthcoming election.

After Minister Tasong’s rescue mission, which, our source said, stopped what would have ended up being a bigger embarrassment to the CPDM political class, rancorous words were reportedly mooted from different angles in the hall.

Humphrey Monono, Nnoko Mbele fail to dislodge old guards

Meanwhile, a list, which the former Registrar of the Cameroon Certificate of  Education, GCE, Board, Humphrey Ekema Monono, headed, crusaded for fresh faces to emerge, but ended up on the ‘losers’ side.

The list, The Guardian Post was hinted, also had names like those of former Government Delegate to the then Kumba Urban Council, Caven Nnoko Mbele, and former South West Communication Delegate,  Enow Chris Oben.

Monono, we are told, was up to replace Senator Mbella Moki, while Nnoko Mbele was warming up to replace Otte Andrew Mofa and Enow Chris Oben was the personality who hoped to replace the King of Batchou-Ntai Chiefdom, Nfor Tabetando.

While Elections Cameroon, ELECAM, is yet to publish the list of persons invested by the CPDM to run for the March 12 senatorial election, reports hold that the Tabetando-led team that has been in place since 2013 will likely stay on.

Other members of the list are; Senators Anki Rebbeca Effiong from Ndian Division, Fon Lekunze Nembo Andreas from Lebeliam Division, Charles Mbella Moki and Papinatou Fonderson from Fako division.

Deadly battles at CPDM Central Committee

Throughout Saturday January 28, The Guardian Post gathered, the two lists, which the South West Regional Investiture Committee brought to Yaounde, were a subject of intestinal battles.

The Monono-led list, some gave to understanding, had links to the thinking which Minister Elung Paul reportedly projected on the need for new blood.

It is reported that it took the intervention of other higher authorities of South West origin within the regime and top CPDM officials at the Central Committee for the Nfor Tabetando-led list, which has been representing the South West at the Senate since 2013, to be invested.

Disgruntled NW aspirants flood Central Committee with petitions

Meanwhile, in the North West region, The Guardian Post has it that a majority of aspirants had flooded the CPDM Central Committee even before the party settled on choices late Saturday.

Among them are CPDM supporters whom, sources say, are claiming their names were rejected based on rumours.

Unlike the South West that had two lists, the North West CPDM Investiture Committee is said to have grappled with three lists. Individuals such as one-term Senators Dinga Ignatius and Fon Teche reportedly also headed lists.

Administrative units such as Bui are said to be experiencing some level of discontent over the choice of the person chosen for the division.

In the meantime, it is reported that names that have been okayed for the senatorial election in the North West are;  Eno Emma Lafon from Bui Division, Sanji Joseph from  Momo Division, Grace Nchiangeh for Boyo, Prof Bridget Neba for Mezam and former Minister Ngafeeson Emmanuel Bantar for Donga Mantung.