By Jeff Ngawe Yufenyu
Officials of the SDF and APF parties in Mbengwi confronted the SDO for Momo Division, Francois Bona Ebengue, complaining of ambulant voters in Mbengwi on July 22.
By 8:30 am on that date, at the premises of ENIET Hall Mbengwi, accommodating polling stations A, B, C and D, the SDF Chairman for Mbengwi Electoral District, Peter Nyamsik, lodged a complained to the SDO about ambulant voters.
He said about 30 ambulant voters were brought in to vote at GS Chigwiri A and B polling stations at Mile 17 Mbengwi.
Nyamsik said they were Mbororo people who could not be identified.
He said even butchers who buy cows from Mbororo people in the hills and sell meat to Mbengwi people could not recognise the ambulant voters. Nyamsik pointed an accusing finger at the CPDM as being responsible for bringing the ambulant voters, but could not say exactly where they came from.
On her part, the APF Coordinator for Mbengwi, Solace Agha Fominyen, who met the SDO at his office in the morning of July 22, also lodged the same complaint of ambulant voters in Mbengwi.
Fominyen equally complained of about 30 Mbororo youths and several others ferried into Mbengwi to vote for the CPDM.
APF Chairman, Barrister Bernard Muna, confirmed his coordinator's claim of ambulant voters.
Muna said what was suspicious about the voters was that they came in a red vehicle without any special pass authorising them to enter Mbengwi and vote.
The Post, however, met the SDO who denied the claims by the SDF and the APF. The SDO said he could only entertain any complaints if the voters did not find their names on the electoral registers.
Muna's greatest worry was with ballot boxes, which he said were not properly sealed. He said with the exception of ballot boxes at polling stations
C and D of ENIET Hall, the rest of the boxes in Ngyienmbo village hall A and B; Court hall A and B and ENIET hall A and B could be tampered with because they were not properly sealed.
Muna said the boxes were not properly sealed deliberately so as to later stuff them with fraudulent ballots.APF and SDF officials including some voters, who spoke to The Post after voting, also said the ink used was not indelible as the elections organisers made voters to believe.
In a chat with The Post, the Secretary of State for Commerce, Ama Tutu Muna, who voted at GS Chigwiri B, refuted all claims of ambulant voters. She said she felt proud after having performed her civic duty of voting, like any other Cameroonian.
"All that is left is for us to wait and see who will win," Ama Tutu said.
SDF, CPDM, APF To Share Seats
In a related development, the SDF party will this time around have to share their preserve of the 25 seats of Mbengwi Council with the CPDM and APF parties.
The SDF list headed by George Tah Mbah which tried to maintain monopoly was met with stiff resistance from CPDM and APF lists led by Humphrey Tangoh and Jacob Tayong, respectively at the just-ended twin elections.
What is not yet clear, however, is how the seats are going to be apportioned amongst the three parties.In a chat with The Post on telephone, on July 24, Hon. PC Fonso said the SDF was going to get half of the 25 seats, while the CPDM and APF would share the remaining half.
Fonso was, however, not categorical with the manner of division.The Post also spoke to Hon. Mbah Ndam on July 24 by telephone who confirmed that the council seats in Mbengwi were going to be shared amongst the three parties.
He said SDF was going to take 20 seats, CPDM four and APF one seat.All attempts to get across to APF Chairman, Bernard Muna and CPDM Council list leader, Tangoh, for comments failed.
Meanwhile, there have been conflicting reports as to who won the Parliamentary seat for Mbengwi.While some reports said Fidelia Fomukong of the CPDM had won, others gave victory to incumbent SDF MP, Peter Choo Fons.
Speaking to The Post on the matter, Mbah Ndam said after President Paul Biya reorganised constituencies nationwide, Mbengwi and Batibo became one constituency known as Momo East, with two Parliamentary seats.
He said the results from Mbengwi alone could take anyone to Parliament. Mbengwi results must be combined with those of Batibo to enable anyone go to Parliament, Mbah Ndam, explained.
According to the results therefore, Mbah Ndam said Fonso, a two-time SDF MP like himself were both qualified for a third sojourn at the House.
"The results are there for anyone to verify," Mbah Ndam stated. Any talk of CPDM candidate for Momo East constituency going to Parliament is false, Mbah Ndam concluded.
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