Here Comes the Senate

Government officials witnessed the election of Permanent Bureau.

History was made at the Ngoa-Ekelle Parliament when the Permanent Bureau of Cameroon's pioneer Senate was elected. Expectations and speculations were high when the plenary sitting that was slated to start at 3:00 pm finally began at almost at 5 pm.

Every attention was to get the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement candidate for the post of Senate President. The President of the Provisional Bureau, Nfon Victor Mukete announced elections and asked whether there were candidatures. Peter Mafany Musonge went to the rostrum, announced that he was the CPDM Senate Group leader. Expectations remained high and he said his party nominated, Niat Njifenji Marcel as candidate for the Senate President. Anxiety at this moment started dropping.

After the short break, the Senate President was elected and Niat Njifenji had 86 votes out of the 100 votes cast with 14 being void ballot papers. Then came the election of the Senior Vice President of the Senate with the traditional ruler of Rey Bouba in the North Region, Aboubakary Abdoulaye being voted. The other bureau members were voted in a consensus list of parties represented in the Senate.

Members of government led by the Prime Minister Philemon Yang waited till the end the of election, putting in place the nine general Committees and closing speech of the Senate President. There was general joy as elected members of the Senate bureau were congratulated. The President who readily talked to the press thanked President Paul Biya for nominating him and stated his readiness to work to accomplish the mission bestowed on him.