The National Convention of Cameroon’s opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) scheduled from April 8 to 10, 2011 in Bamenda, may not take place on the programmed period. “All the provinces, especially the East, Adamawa and North have not yet designated their delegates for the convention”, the SDF National Communication Secretary, Beatrice Annembom Monju said in a chat with Cameroon Tribune yesterday, April 5 in Yaounde.
Another reason that casts doubts as to the SDF convention taking place this weekend is the fact that the party wanted Members of Parliament to be through with the March ordinary session of the National Assembly. This is because the 14 remaining parliamentarians for the SDF for the eighth legislative period are delegates to the convention and should the March session end anytime this week, the people’s representatives will need some time to prepare, the SDF Communication Secretary stated.
Mrs Annembom Monju was not however, categorical that the SDF convention will not take place as scheduled, because, “ If the day for the convention has to be changed, then the SDF National Executive Committee (NEC) has to meet and take a decision”, she explained. What is certain, she said, is that the SDF National convention will take place in 2011.
Preparations for the SDF elective convention are gathering momentum with financial contributions trickling in, the party officials said. Candidates for all the positions in the SDF National Executive Committee are also bracing up for elections. The over 2,000 delegates expected for the convention will discuss the upcoming presidential, legislative and council elections. The party’s Communication Secretary said the SDF was preparing to take part in the 2011 presidential election, stating that the 11 points handed to the Head of State on ways of improving the country’s electoral system can easily be implemented.
The last SDF three-day national convention took place in May 2006 in Bamenda. It was one of the historic moments in the SDF 21-year history, as the faction of the party led by Barrister Bernard Muna held another convention in Yaounde. A confrontation between supporters of the rival factions resulted in the death of the former Centre Provincial official, Gregoire Diboulé.
