The National Chairman of Cameroon’s leading opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF), John Fru Ndi says, the “SDF is not against voters’ registration but only insisting on minimum conditions that will guarantee the independence of the institution, neutrality of the personnel and the guarantee of people obtaining their voter’s cards”. He was speaking in Yaounde, yesterday, November 10 during a press conference.
The SDF that has refused to collaborate with the elections managing institution, Elections Cameroon (ELECAM), castigated the institution for the haphazard way it was carrying out the ongoing registration of voters for the 2011 presidential election. Stating that voting was a civic responsibility, Fru Ndi while citing examples said, “there is targeted and selective registration”. The SDF chairman said the recompilation of the electoral register was imperative, explaining that ELECAM was a new institution which has to carry out new registration of voters, as well as put in place biometric registration and a single ballot paper. He disclosed that the party was planning protest demonstrations in its quest to ensure credible elections in the country.
As to whether he was to be the SDF candidate in the presidential election, Fru Ndi said he could not declare that he would stand because the party has its procedure of designating presidential elections candidates. Answering another question on what was wrong with the SDF judging from the wave of resignation of senior officials, Fru Ndi said the party was democratic to a fault, stating that it cannot tolerate indiscipline. He specified that Hon. Kwemo Pierre, Alhadji Sani and others who recently tabled their resignation letters were no longer with the party. But with Kah Wallah who was the party’s Strategic Committee chairperson, Fru Ndi said, “ up to now, Kah Wallah has not been sacked from the SDF”. The leading opposition chairman said Kah Wallah never presented accusations levied and the decision taken against her by her Electoral District to the policy-making organ of the party, the National Executive Committee (NEC). The accusations and decision, he said, could not even led to immediate sanctions, considering that the SDF Secretary General, Dr Elisabeth Tamajong issued a circular suspending all disciplinary actions before the national convention of February 2011.
The major innovation in the SDF press conference yesterday was the presentation of four Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) supporters and a businessman who had decided to join the SDF.
