New PCC Moderator, Synod Clerk election in Nov 25

The final phase of elections to the posts of Moderator and Synod Clerk of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, PCC, will hold on November 25 at the Presbyterian Church Centre in Bamenda, Northwest Region.

The information is contained in a special invitation letters that have been issued by the current Moderator of the PCC, Rt Rev Dr Festus Asana.

The elections will come up during the Elective Synod of the PCC, which holds after every five years and which, traditionally, culminates in the elections to the two highest offices in the Church. This year’s Elective Synod of the PCC will run for three days, November 23-25.

The Synod will open on November 23, with a special church service at Presbyterian Church Azire, Bamenda.

On the second day, November 24, activities will move to the Presbyterian Church Centre at Ntamulung, Bamenda. Highlights of the day will include the presentation of goodwill messages from some religious denominations in the country and beyond. A message is also expected from the Government of Cameroon.

The climax would be on November 25, when a new Moderator and a new Synod Clerk will be elected, with each given a five-year mandate. The elections will be organised by the Electoral Commission which was created early this year for that purpose. The Electoral Commission has as Chairman, Rev Henry Fomuso, while Justice Mbah Acha Rose is Secretary.

Uncertainty About Candidates Meanwhile, though the date for the third and final phase of elections is fast approaching the second phase has not yet been organised.

The first phase of the elections known in the PCC as nominations, took place at the level of 27 Presbyteries. There were 11 candidates for the post of Moderator and 10 candidates for the post of Synod Clerk.

In line with the Electoral Law of the PCC, the nine- member Electoral Commission forwarded the names of the first three winners by order of merit in each group, to the Synod Committee Executive.

The first three winners for the post of Moderator were, respectively, Rev Fonki Samuel Forba (498 points),–Rev Abwenzo William Membong (411 points), and Rev Besong Johnson Tabe (390 points).

The first three winners for the post of Synod Clerk were: Rev George Babila Forchang (614 points), Rev Michael Fai Verye (286 points), and Rev Christian Ngangi (282 points), respectively.

The three winners of each group in the first phase are supposed to go in for the second phase, which is actually not an election. In the second phase, the candidates will each present their letters of faith to the Synod Committee Executive.

The committee, in principle, has to evaluate the spiritual and moral standing of each candidate. The committee will, at the end of the exercise, drop one candidate in each of the groups. The two candidates retained in each of the two groups, will then battle it out at the final phase of the elections to the posts of Moderator and Synod Clerk.