By Kini Nsom
Social Democratic Front, SDF, Chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi, says his party will go the whole hog and prevent the ruling CPDM party from rigging elections in the special constituencies President Paul Biya created recently.
Speaking to The Post in Yaounde over the weekend, Fru Ndi said SDF would win in the special constituencies in the upcoming twin elections, by making sure that militants keep vigil in the polling stations after voting in order to stop rigging.
According to the Chairman, President Paul Biya, who is also the Chairman of the ruling CPDM party, flagrantly violated the Cameroonian constitution, by creating special constituencies a few days after convening the electorate. "It is unacceptable and provocative that Biya carved out these rigging constituencies after he convened the electorate. He thinks that they can easily rig elections in these areas", he fumed.
He said Biya was so eager to install the CPDM rigging machinery that he trampled over the constitution. Going by him, it is ridiculous that the Head of State based the creation of the special constituencies only on rigging arithmetic and not on demographic statistics since the results of the 2005 population census are still to be published.
He said such a move is an insult to the Cameroonian people. He urged Biya to confess that to the people that his party comrades misled him to commit such an unpardonable constitutional felony and use his presidential powers to reverse the decision.
He said if Biya ignores his advice, he would have sown the seeds of civil unrest because the SDF will not tolerate any fraud especially in the Northwest Province.While talking about the deadline for the submission of the lists of parliamentary candidates by all the parties, Fru Ndi accused some administrative officials of favouring CPDM candidates to the disadvantage of opposition candidates.
Fru Ndi said said some CPDM candidates, who fought to meet up with the deadline, were submitting faulty documents, which the administration received without any complaint. According to him, a councillor needs to have at least 100.000 Frs. in order to qualify to run for the upcoming elections.
They need to pay 50.000 Frs. and declare their taxes, he said.In view of the 5 May deadline that the authorities had earlier announced, the SDF had submitted a list of their parliamentary candidates on Friday May 4. According to the SDF communication officer, Annembom Monju, the party is running only for 70 seats in the National Assembly of 180.
She told The Post that the party was not financially
viable enough to field candidates for all the 180 parliamentary seats.
She said the amount of FCFA 500.000. paid by each candidate, is causing
the party sleepless nights because not many aspirants are viable.
Women Losing Out
As events narrowed down to the twin elections on July 22, the frontline parties in the country have pledged to give women a chance and make them take up more seats in Parliament and the councils.
Results of the primaries conducted in the SDF, indicates that the party's pledge to give 25 percent representation to the women remains a far-fetched dream. According to the Secretary General of the party, Dr. Elizabeth Tamajong, six women have emerged as substantive parliamentary candidates.

But observers hold that the party is likely going to have only one female Member of Parliament, MP, in the next legislature, Mrs. Esther Ngala, who is sure to win in her constituency.
The CPDM Secretary General had re-echoed the party's pledge to make sure that youths and women take up 30 percent representation in parliament and the councils. But the boss of the United Nations Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in Cameroon, Janet Kem, said UNIFEM initiated a program known as Gender and Elections in which they fight to enhance women's participation in elections.
It was in this vein that UNIFEM in partnership with the network for more women in politics last May 4 organised a meeting to address the issues at stake. 20 participants, representing women's candidates, leaders of women's groups and journalists attended the meeting.
According to the coordinator of the program at UNIFEM, Marie Pascaline Menono, women's participation in politics was still being hampered by socio-economic, cultural and legal constraints. She said there is need for a change of mentality among various stakeholders for the situation to improve.
Although women make up more than 50 percent of Cameroon's population, there are only 19 women in the National Assembly of 180 members. That makes up only 10.9 percent representation. Women, who are full mayors, make up only 4 percent of the total number in the country.

This site has been sucking me all this while!
I miss u all brothers and sisters, back on scene.
There must be propanganda, we all know that Cameroon is ruled by decrees and declarations.
Election results will be declared: landslide for the CPDM, the SDF second, NW, part of SW & parts of W and 2 in Lit.
The SDF will complain, the press will make some quick bucks and it dies down. Hmmm, for how long?
Posted by: AngloCameroonian | Sunday, 13 May 2007 at 07:01 AM
Akoson
Caution man! Im afraid you got it wrong or maybe Im the one who got it wrong.An SDF official I took to task recently told me of the creation of a "Fako-Kilum" State in their manifesto, now you talk of NW-Western and SW-Littoral states. Which is right?
Posted by: tayong | Sunday, 13 May 2007 at 07:56 AM
Tayong,
You are perfectly right.Akoson needs to do little more reseacrh.The SDF manifesto to the best of my knowledge talks of a Fako-Kilum.I have read it sometimes.
Posted by: knganjo | Sunday, 13 May 2007 at 08:49 AM
Tayong and Knganjo,
When we talk of Fako-Kiloum what does it embody? I thought it was SW and Litoral? If it embodies SW and NW then that's wonderful and a plus to convert guys like you, Tayong, Rexon and Fritz to SDF men.
I apologise if the information I provided about the four state federation is faulty. I enjoin all and sundry to go to www.sdfparty.org for more information about the manifesto. Have got much work recently and still feeling lazy to make a stop at the site again.
Cheers guyz and thanks for the correction. I like it when people read inbetween the lines and point out corrections like these.
The son
Posted by: Akoson | Sunday, 13 May 2007 at 10:07 AM
Article 2, section 4 of the SDF's proposed constitution Cameroon reads..."There shall be four states in the Federation, namely, ADAMAWA - MANDARA, FAKO - KILUM, NYONG - NGOKO and WOURI -BATIE".
Section 5, also reads..."New states may be created provided that the following criteria are respected:
(ii) "...that there is no merger of parts of the former la Republique du Cameroun with parts of the former Southern Cameroons territories,...". http://www.sdfparty.org/english/references/74.php
The above information has been given courtesy of the official website of the SDF party.
This proofs beyond reasonable doubts that the SDF recognises that Southern Cameroons and La Republique were formally two separate states and two distinct cultures. FAKO-KILUM comes in to give Southern Cameroonians an upper hand in steering the affairs of their area, and chase their dreams and control their own destiny. This is quite sweet, isn't it? Die-hard SCNC men like Tayong, Rexon are welcome since the SDF, from every indication has the Southern Cameroons palavar topping its scale of preference.
Again sorry guys for the first misinformation I made.
The Son.
Posted by: | Sunday, 13 May 2007 at 11:01 AM
Akoson,
If you read a lot of books, you're considered well-read.But if you watch a lot of TV, you're not considered well-viewed maybe because of the shortsigntedness or you lack the ability of foretelling what the future holds.Most people are sorely concerned with the present but they never ponder about the future.Cows can laugh but no milk will come out of its nose.The vote means nothing to us,we should be armed;spiritually,mentally to counter-attack these dumbness of our people.Since we have lost sense of reasoning,the Biya cross-pollutant will penetrate into us all and we shall have no power of resistnce to those temptations from the La Republique.
Fritzane Kiki
Hong Kong
Posted by: Fritzane Kiki HK | Monday, 14 May 2007 at 01:41 AM
All contributors out to the field:
Since it looks as if elections will take place as planned in July, I am re-posting a comment I made in March so that readers should remember to protect their votes when polling day comes. I will ignore all the ranting I have seen here from the usual ranter extraordinaire because it is a distraction. He (Rexon) cannot convince me that he is not working with the Cpdm gov't to stifle the progress of democratic norms. Or else he should tell me what will happen when his call for boycott succeeds. Will the Cpdm militants also stay away from voting? And if they don't but Sdf militants boycott as he wants, will that not take Cpdm politicians from SCmroons to NA? Where will that leave the independence issue? So readers should not be fooled about the rantings of a paid agent of the regime in place. Besides, this guy woted in Scotland, a foreign country, seeking independence from Gr Britain. Why did he not boycott that election too?
That said, those who have succeeding in registering should vote and vote out the treasury looters and corrupt people of the ruling Cpdm. Also make sure you protect your vote when you have cast it because rigging takes many forms, including preventing people from voting and giving wrong figures. As you read about the red alert below, you can substitute the right election date for the wrong one. Those in the Diaspora count on those who can help rid us of the evil clique.
"Red Alert!
As usual, commentators who wear blinkers over their eyes chase the shadow and forget the substance of the debate. The reason is that they will persevere until their mission to denigrate the SDF and its leader is complete. Some of their group have taken leave of the PostOnline temporarily, but I am sure they will come back when the stakes are higher or when their paymasters see the need for them to come and continue their dirty job of divide and rule.
The SDF leadership has raised a number of issues surrounding the election and registration of voters. Did the detractors address those issues? No. Never. Should the June elections be postponed? Yes. The SDF has given its reasons for asking for postponement: So that the Elections body can be set up/appointed and familiarise itself with its terms of reference. The SDF is a political party vying for power through the grassroots (local councils) and through the legislature. Presidential elections are not until 2011. So what has Fru Ndi not becoming president of LRC, dixit Hogbe Nlend, got to do with the forthcoming elections? NEO will come to the end of its mandate (if
it had any) in May 2007. There is no reason why a delinquent government will call an extraordinary session of parliament to pass a bill and refuse to implement the bill from that session or defer its implementation for 18 months. There is also no reason for extending the mandate of NEO after May 2007 before the planned elections of June 2007 because ELECAM should take over from NEO and MINATD. All these points are raised in the Chairman's statement. All the prophets of doom on this forum should at least have
addressed the same issues and showed how the SDF's worries and proposals are irrelevant, and make more valid proposals (not boycott). The truth is that if you have a target in view and a tree lies in your path, you either jump over the tree or go round it to
reach your target. You cannot stand on the spot and complain that you have been prevented from moving by the tree. The CPDM government is this kind of obstacle. It will frustrate you in many ways and, if you do not act wisely, it will use the "winner take
all" option, although the winning is by high tricks.
This brings me to the red alert above. You must have observed that P&T is talking of the telephone going 8 digits in June 2007? Why only then? The announcement is made by a minister who is in the ruling camp. It is
not as innocent as it sounds. It is said that the introduction of 7 digits opened the way for 8 million lines and that so far only 3 million lines have been taken. So what is so urgent about increasing the available lines when 5 million lines are still not
taken? I can read in-between the "lines" and I believe that this sudden interest in extending the network has serious political implications.
Think of the scenario in June 2007 during the
elections, which the government will force Cmroonians to accept. It has been known that in other countries, the mobile phone has helped spread the true election results and forsetalled massive rigging. In June 2007,
you find it difficult to remember how to reach your contacts by mobile phone. When this happens, the ruling clique will consolidate the rigging machinery, making it impossible for Cmroonians to communicate
with one another or for the outside world to
communicate with Cmroonians. When they finally bring their US Senators to confirm that voting was free and fair, there will be no opposing voice because communication will be difficult, if not impossible.
The bottom line is that all of us who aspire for change should be on the watch-out. Know beforehand how to reach essential numbers in June 2007 when the rigging begins. For those in the Diaspora, we have already been disfranchised. So there is no hope for us
to get our voice heard as happens in civilised countries, even on the African continent. Stay awake because your enemy the State of CMR is using all sorts of devices to stay put.
Maverick
Posted by: Maverick | Tuesday, 20 March 2007 at 06:52 AM"
Maverick
Posted by: Langai | Monday, 14 May 2007 at 09:09 AM
Mr Maverick, raxon and SCNC activist are not only calling but on sdf militants not to vote but on all concern Southern Cameroonians.
Raxon hop to get feed back from you as soon as this is over.
As citizens of La Republique du Cameroun are gearing up preparations to celebrate the fraudulent 1972 plebiscite, come Sunday May 20th, militants and well wishers of the SCNC in the United Kingdom have been exhorted to massively attend a grandiose and pacific demonstration at 10 Downing street on Friday 18th May 2007.The message was contained in an exclusive press release signed and dated on the 10th of May 2007, by the evergreen chairman of SCNC UK, comrade George Ekontang.
In a bid to commemorate the 46th year of the occupation, annexation and subjugation of our territory by La Republique, the press release indicts Her Majesty’s Government and the United Nations for consistently playing ‘Pontius Pilate’ over the Southern Cameroons issue.
As manifested in their failed obligations vis-à-vis the peoples of the Southern Cameroons from the League of Nations Trusteeship through to the United Nations Mandate till date.
The release further appeals to all those intending to take part in the manifestations, to come alongside with placards, posters and banners for a sensibilisation campaign on the British Government. According to the release, Britain which enjoys the influential position as one of the five (5) permanent members of the UN Security Council should table a motion binding La Republique to answer for gross human rights abuses exacted on citizens of the Southern Cameroons. These Human rights abuses ranging from torture, rapes, brutality, silent killings of prisoners of conscience, extrajudicial executions, cultural holocaust and economic retrogression.
More so, that La Republique du Cameroun should withdraw their annexationist troops from the Southern Cameroons territory, to within the limits of their frontiers with the Southern Cameroons, the release concluded.
It is indeed regrettable that PM Blair whose last son Leo, was ironically born on the 20th of May 2000, being the first legitimate child born to a serving Prime Minister in over 150 years, has contemptuously neglected the thorny and burning Southern Cameroons problem. He is scheduled to leave office on 27th June 2007. Through SCNC demonstrations such as the forthcoming one, Blair’s successor, erstwhile Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, will be told to take a more proactive and interventionist policy towards the Southern Cameroons attaining Statehood.
In doing so, he will enter the annals of history as the first British PM to take up the challenge of forcing La Republique to relinquish its predatory hold on the Southern Cameroons. While welcoming you to the Premiership, we the Southern Cameroonians are counting on you, Mr. Brown.
By Nga Adolf with correspondence report from London.
SCNC Contact addresses in the United Kingdom
View and Sign My Guestbook
www.scncforsoutherncameroons.net
MK
Posted by: mk the southerner | Monday, 14 May 2007 at 03:34 PM
We however regret the misunderstanding of the SCNC position on La République du Cameroun’s elections. We have not called Southern Cameroonians to “boycott” the elections. To boycott an election is to express and demonstrate your disapproval of, for example, the bad electoral law, poor registration of voters, among others. Why? Because, being undemocratic, you are convinced that your party will be disadvantaged. It is a political party that boycotts an election for it has legal and legitimate stakes in the elections. But the SCNC has nothing to do with NEO and MINATD or ELECAM nor La République du Cameroun’s elections in general.
The message of the SCNC to Southern Cameroonians is clear and simple. Southern Cameroonians are not citizens of La République du Cameroun and as such they have nothing to do with elections of a foreign country.
In reality the SCNC is engaged in a pacific struggle to restore the statehood and sovereign independence of Southern Cameroons. Southern Cameroons that became self-governing in 1954 and during the centenary celebration of the founding of Victoria in 1958 was described by Commissioner J.O. Field as a promising emerging nation of the Commonwealth has never been an integral part of French Cameroun that became self governing in 1957 and independent as La République du Cameroun on January, 1, 1960. Under international law once a nation acedes to independence its international boundaries become inviolable and immutable.
Africa has two Congos and three Guineas. Respecting inherited colonial boundaries, the foundation of modern African nations, each exercises its sovereignty and elections in Congo Brazzaville, for example, do not involve citizens of Democratic Republic of Congo - Guinea Conakry respecting its colonial boundaries inherited at independence as declared by the African Charter and International Law, did not annex and occupy Guinea Bissau after helping to oust imperial Portugal in a bloody anti colonial war. Consequently citizens of Guinea Bissau do not vote in elections of Guinea Conakry.
Charles de Gaulle in his campaign to solicit support from French Africa held meeting in Brazzaville for French Equatorial Africa. French Cameroun was there and contributed massively for the war effort for the liberation of France. Southern Cameroons as a UN Trust Territory under UK Administration was not party to the Brazzaville Conference nor did a single Southern Cameroonian die fighting for “vive la France.”
SCNCs stand and campaign is the evident mark of nationalism, patriotism and reason fortified by international law, international treaties governing the boundary that separates Southern Cameroons from La République du Cameroun just as the latter is separated from Gabon, Congo Brazzaville and Chad by international boundaries that must be respected.
1. When citizens of le Cameroun Francaise voted in February 1960 to transform their country into a République, citizens of Southern Cameroons were never involved.
2. When citizens of Southern Cameroons voted in the UN - sponsored plebiscite of February 11, 1961, were citizens of La République du Cameroun involved? No.
3.When even in the defunct Federation of 1961 - 1972, citizens of West Cameroon (Southern Cameroons) went to the polls in 1968 to elect their parliamentarians, did the citizens of East Cameroon (La République du Cameroun) vote? The answer is a capital NO!.
Posted by: rexon | Monday, 14 May 2007 at 04:25 PM