Senatorial election: New faces emerge in NW CPDM list, SW maintains old guards.

In the South West region, the list of those to take part in the election on the CPDM ticket are senators who have been in office since 2013.

 The new faces in the North West region and their alternates for the March 12 election for the CPDM are: Lafon Épse Eno Emma Veryele (Shingwa Amos Mbuh-Alternate), Ngafeeson Emmanuel Bantar (Bemi Épse Voboh Alice Thebo-Alternate), Neba Ndosiri Bridget Ndoye (Lum Juliana Ngwa-Alternate), Kobenge Sekedi Bomeh, ( Kah epse Voboh Alice Thebo-Alternate), Enwi  Francis Abi (Antunka Mathilda Mbwa-Alternate), Fointama Hilda Aluma (Nuh Fuen Esther-Alternate) and Prof Mbufong Carl Moses Fontong (Usima Fatu-Alternate).

 But for Emma Lafon who was in the senate during the 2013-2018 mandate, the rest are first timers in the race. Enwi Francis, on his part was once a member of the National Assembly between 2013 and 2020.

                         SW retains old guards

While new faces surfaced in the North West CPDM senatorial list, the scenario in the South West Region has not changed. The same old faces that surfaced in 2013 are on course for a third mandate. They are Senate Vice President, Chief Tabetando Ndieb-Nso (Etengeneng Doris Ojong-Alternate); Senate Questor, Otte Andrew Mofa (Sona Sona Habibullah-Alternate), Mbella Moki Charles (Dorik Monde Mokosso-Alternate), Ntube Agnès Ndode Épse Ndjock (Ekwoge Joseph Elongome-Alternate), Ankie Affiong Rebecca Amah (Naienge Mesembe Gabriel-Alternate), Fon Lekunze Andreas Nembo (Amin Mariana Anyitoh Épse Fonji-Alternate) and Lionel Papinatu Fonderson (Jong Ebenye Rosine Épse Toto Ndongu-Alternate).

SDF invests old guards in NW  

The Social Democratic Front, SDF, party has retained mostly incumbents for the senatorial race in the North West Region.

 Heading the list unveiled yesterday is outgoing Senate Vice President, Vanigansen Mochiggle. His substitute is Chi Julie Swiri. 

There is Buh Sule Tegha whose alternate is Ketchem Gladys Ashie. Ajuoh Ngam Honoré on his part has as alternate Tefu Emmanuel Awonsang. Senator Kinyang Georges Nyang is in the race for a second mandate having as alternate Ngoran Abiba Kinyuy. Other members on the SDF list and their alternates are; Amboufei Diana Engenembe (Terberia Paul Ambue), Bunyui Emmanuel Nyugab (Sheju Chemo Alice Ebricho) and Mafogho Inusa Petiangma with alternate in the person of Isa Rekia Nchife.

   ELECAM approves 22 lists, rejects 10

Meanwhile, in unveiling the decision of the Electoral Board of ELECAM yesterday in Yaounde, the President of the Board, Dr Enow Abrams Egbe, announced that 22 lists have been validated while 10 were rejected.

The publication of the lists means campaigns will in line with the laws in force, commence in the next 15 days.

Political parties which lists were rejected have a period of three days to challenge the decision of ELECAM at the level of the Constitutional Council.

Inside out of approved lists

Parties which lists were approved for the political exercise include the Cameroon People's Democracy Movement, CPDM that will be contesting in the country’s 10 regions. The ruling party, it should be said, is running in the South and South West regions unopposed.

The SDF that will take part in the election only in the North West Region.

The National Alliance for Democracy and Progress, NADP was okayed for the election in the Far North region while the Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon, FSNC, of Issa Tchiroma Bakary will be on the field in the North Region.

The Cameroon Democratic Union, CDU, will enter the race in the West Region.

The National Union for Democracy and Progress, NUDP of Bello Bouba, is contesting the election in the Adamawa, East, Far North and North Regions.

Cameroon Democracy Front, FDC, will challenge the CPDM in the Centre Region while the Union of Socialist Movement, UMS, is on the starting block in the West Region.

On its part, Movement for the Defense of the Republic, MDR party of the late Diakole Diassala, has been cleared to run in the Far North Region.

Cabral Libii’s Cameroon Party for National Reconciliation, PCRN, will   give the CPDM a run for its money in the Littoral Region.

Enter rejected lists

The party that suffered the highest, according to the announcement of the ELECAM Board Chair yesterday is the UPC. The party’s lists in five regions were rejected.

Newcomer, Democracy Youth of Cameroon, JDC, of Andre Marie Dibamou’s lone list was also rejected. Another list from the Cameroon Union for Democracy and Innovation, CUDI of Egono Valentin to contest the election in the Centre Region was also rejected.

Representatives of political parties react

Outgoing Senate Vice President, Vanigansen MoChiggle, of the SDF, noted that it is republican to participate in elections.

Quizzed on the party’s chances given its limited number of councillors, the SDF official retorted: “…are we saying that teams that go to compete for the World Cup or the Africa Nations Cup go there to win? The answer is ‘no’. It is a republican duty to participate in elections and that is why we are there”.

 Why SDF not running in SW

According to the Senate Vice President, the SDF is not running in the South West Region because the party, “is not like the ruling CPDM party that has money at their beg and call. So, the caution of one million FCFA to be paid is expensive when you are not very certain”.

He maintained that, “it is not the party that pays the caution but it is the individual who does.”.

NUDP says not surprise with ELECAM’s decision

Senator Pierre Flambeau Ngayap, who is scribe of the NUDP, said his party is not surprised that all its lists were validated.

“There is no big news. The validation of our lists is not a surprise to us.  The NUDP presented lists of candidates in four regions and we know how we work internally to have a clean and complete list,” he told reporters.

His presence at ELECAM yesterday, he further remarked, was “to acknowledge that all the lists we deposited were validated”.

CDU boasts of victory in West Region

Going by Hon Kouip Adamou of the CDU, his party “has huge experience in senatorial election since 2013 when the senate was first put in place”.

With such experience, he said, “it was not going to be possible to see our list rejected”.

The party, he told the press, is looking, “forward to the electoral campaign. We are going to the West Region with one list and we are sure to win”.

Emilien Denis Atangana, President of FDC, on his part congratulated ELECAM for the work done. He said his party is going to work to dislodge the old guards from the senate.

The senate, he said, “has for long been regarded as a retirement home for the elderly. We need to have senators who will work for the people; senators who are agile. We believe our candidates meet these criteria”.

UPC blames rejection of lists on internal problems

The Secretary General of the UPC party, Roland Parfait Ngono, told reporters that the rejection of the party’s five lists is linked to internal problems within the party.

“I cannot blame ELECAM for the rejection of our lists. A serious political party cannot have four Secretaries General,” Ngono bemoaned.

The UPC official also said, the party has several factions which invested candidates for the elections from different towns and cities.