Truth: 2025 presidentials; CPDM should live by rule.

One thing I know about the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM government, is its insistence on urging citizens to respect "State institutions and the rule of law," at every turn and twist.

But there is an irony which I will explain. The ruling party last held its congress in 2011, that magic year of G11 and by some unexplained magic, I saw my name as member of the Central Committee Sub-Commission on Communication, when I had never held a card for any party since I was born.



I accepted the offer, giving my report to then Secretary General, Sadi Rene, who doubled then as Special Duties Minister at the Presidency of the Republic.

That brief service to the party of "fire," which signifies its logo, gave me an insight knowledge of how the ruling party functions. Always insisting on respect for State institutions and the law. I applaud the CPDM for that, but to who more is given, more should be expected.

Article 18 of the ruling party's constitution stipulates that: “The Congress…is held every five years. However, if necessary, this period may be shortened or extended by the Political Bureau".

By that, another congress was due in 2016. No congress has been held and the Political Bureau, which meets at the Presidency, instead of the Yaounde Conference Centre, to differentiate State decisions from those of the party, is also under question.

I have just been reading a statement from a certain Christian Ntimbane Bomo, one of the leaders of the hundreds political parties in the country, declaring himself as candidate for next year presidential election. 

He argues that since Biya's mandate has expired and not renewed by the Political Bureau, he cannot stand as natural candidate of the CPDM in 2025.

He also holds that two thirds of the Political Bureau members as ordained by its constitutions, are needed to convene a congress in case the mandate of the incumbent has elapsed.

There again, there is a legal problem. The bureau is made of 23 and two-third which is 16, is required to validly deliberate in case of a force majeure.

Nine of the political bureau seats are vacant. Of the nine, seven of them have died: Sultan Mbombo Njoya, Jean Bernard Ndongo Essomba, John Ebong Ngolle, Medjo Delphine, Rose Zang Nguele, Aladji Mohamadou Abbo, and Mongui Sossomba.

Among the other two vacancies, Marafa Amidou Yaya is in Kondengui while Emmanuel Bonde, now member of the Constitutional Council cannot again sit on the CPDM Political Bureau.

Given that Article 22 of the party's statutes specifies that 2/3 of the members of the Political Bureau meet in Extraordinary Ordinary Session, its legitimacy to extend the expired mandate is also in question.

Another obstacle as the opposition politician presents, is that since the mandate of the party's Chairman has expired, he no longer has the legality to fill the vacancies in the Political Bureau.

The opposition may just be looking for legal loopholes to eliminate the ruling party's candidate.

I am sure if the main opposition does not unite and President Paul Biya doesn't retire to the village, he will still ‘win’ a historic seventh term, even if he doesn’t campaign.

I remember he campaigned just in Maroua, for a few hours in 2018 and had a landslide, victory at that year’s presidential poll. I do not intend to get into the skin of Prof Maurice Kanto for whom I have a lot of respect.

But the ruling party should lead by example by respecting their own rules, otherwise, I predict several court cases, which independence will be tested with no excuses of their hands being "tied".

 

Postscript: “Laws should not be like spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught,” - Anonymous

 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3294 of Monday November 18, 2024

 

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