Prof. Mrs Elizabeth Tamajong, former Secretary General of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) party, revisits the reasons for her recent resignation.

Professor Mrs Elizabeth Tamajong, what reasons could explain your decision to relinquish your function as Secretary General of the Social Democratic Front party?

I could mention certain reasons such as the failure to respect the ideology of the party, which to me, matters much. When I look at what we are going through now, I think I have to put down things because I want the party to advance. I want us to go back to that ideology and move Cameroon forward. That is why I have produced a document in which I stated reasons for my resignation as well as suggestions for the party to move ahead. And moving ahead requires that I have to be inside, not outside. I am still a member of the party; for I love the party and I want us to look at the ideology we stood for in the 1990s.

Are you indirectly saying that you do not value the party’s new orientation to be present in State institutions or even dialogue with the CPDM leadership as seen recently?

I am not talking about State institutions. If you read the Manifesto of the SDF, you will understand that we have to move in the spirit of peace. Cameroonians have to dialogue and I have always said that.

Reactions from SDF’s hierarchy after your resignation letter was acknowledged allegedly spoke of you as being of “weak faith”?

Saying I have “weak faith” is wrong because I strongly believe that the party can do better if we follow the ideology of 1990.

Why do you strongly stand for the post of Secretary General reverting to an elective position even though you were appointed?

In the Manifesto laid down by the Founding Fathers, that post should be elective. We should go out and let the people elect the Secretary General so that he will have the strength to act. Because when you are appointed, you are perceived as a mere servant to somebody.

The SDF has recently seen leadership squabbles such as the unending feud in Littoral Region. Now, the Secretary General is resigning. Does this presage rough times for the party?

That is why I maintain that the party should return to the ideology of 1990. If we do that, then we will correct all these feuds.

Considering your calibre in the party, how are you going to cope as a mere militant?

I will cope because I have followers. I have people thinking along the same lines like me and my resignation has now opened a platform for discussions. I think we will discuss more within the party now and chart our way forward.

The saying goes that SDF officials who relinquish their duties the way you did, later either become free thinkers, form their own parties or they join the CPDM. Which path are you choosing?

Those people resigned or were kicked out from the party. But as mentioned in my resignation letter, my case is different. I am still in the party. I prefer fighting within than fighting from outside.

You give the impression that the SDF party has been hijacked by people who do not understand where it came from.

Some people understand while some people do not really understand. The document I distributed showcases what I went through since the 1990s with a group of people and that is why I decided to resign to make things move ahead. If somebody who loves you criticises you and tells you where you went wrong, he gives you suggestions. That is how we can move ahead.

Many are suggesting that the party will die after your resignation?

All is not lost, that is why I am remaining inside. It would have been worst if I banged the door and I left. But that is not the case because of the love that I have for the party and because I know the Manifesto.