Fru Jonathan, Chargé des missions, Central Committee, Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM).

What is the magnitude of this wave of resignations by party comrades from various commissions set up to supervise the process to renew executives of basic organs?

The circular of the National President and that of the Secretary General of the Central Committee did prescribe that those who have been assigned to carry out the reorganisation operation, should resign if they intend to be candidates because they would not be referees and players at the same time.

Subsequently, during the launching meeting in Yaounde which was presided over by the Secretary General of the Central Committee, greater precision was given and all the members of the various delegations were invited to resign before the first meetings were held if they intended to be candidates. This meant that before they could go down to the field, they had to start by resigning so that the Secretary General could proceed with their replacement. Subsequently, the Secretary General discovered that there was some disorder on the field because people were resigning at random.

Were they resigning before or after the first meetings?

It seems like some were resigning after the first meeting. But what is important is the Secretary General’s observation that the wave of resignations was increasing so the communiqué published by the National Secretary for Communication is intended to caution those who are on the field and to remind them that they have to resign before they hold the first meeting or resign in time so that the Central Committee can proceed with replacements.

The party hierarchy seems surprised at the embarrassing resigning wave but wasn’t this predictable given that some comrades appointed into supervisory commissions had earlier made known their intentions to vie for elections?

The fact that some members could resign was predictable. That is why the two circulars and the information meeting did give precisions on when and how to resign. The resignations were supposed to be validated by the Secretary General who signed the texts appointing people to the field. So, it is the tendency of continuous resignation that is a cause for concern because we are already gone far in the process. If they resign now, they are going to jeopardise or disturb the work which the commissions are carrying out on the field.

What is the consequence of this resignation wave?

The feared consequence is that if the Secretary General allows people to resign at random or in disorder, it is going to disturb or jeopardise activities because commissions that were sent to work, if the President of a commissions suddenly finds himself alone with all his members or chargés resigning then that will be a big problem for him. So the communiqué cautions those who are trying to resign that they must get the clearance of the Secretary General.

Field reports say several complaints have been recorded about the issue of delegations building consensus lists. How is the party’s hierarchy reacting to this?

Consensus is encouraged. But if the delegations cannot get the consensus then they can only go in for elections. To that effect, the Secretary General has instructed the delegations to allow the militants take their decisions. If the latter are unanimous about the consensus lists then they can adopt it. But consensus does not cancel the fact that they have to vote. They must vote even if there is one list. If they don’t want the consensus then they must go in for elections.