Justice Ayah: Man of timber and caliber

When Justice Ayah Paul was appointed at the Supreme Court bench, not many people believed within them, that he will feel comfortable with that appointment.

They might have been right, because, sometimes it intrigues even Mr. President of the Republic in determining where exactly, the man of timber and caliber actually feels comfortable.

As national chairman of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM, Mr. Biya himself had always felt uncomfortable with Justice Ayah in the party. It came to a head when Justice Ayah, by his analysis of the way the party functions, like Jean Jacques Ekindi before him, called it quits.

By that single act, it was difficult to tell whether his self-acquittal was a blessing to the party or if the chairman himself regretted to have lost such sharp brain in his party. So looking at it very closely, his departure was some kind of good riddance.

As if this was not enough, the man extended his probing mind to the National Assembly where he was more as an ex-officio member of the opposition. His greatest dislike was the inner-core policy of the CPDM in toeing party lines when it came to debates in which the interest of the people they represent came into conflict with the party’s avowed position.

Here too, Justice Ayah could not stand what political analysts will term an abuse of representative trust. After all, he always asked himself, “What the hell am I doing here, clapping or making reasonable contributions”.

The irony here is that, whether or not Justice Paul Ayah was making any reasonable contributions on the floor of the national assembly, (which of course, many know he did) were his contributions, like those of the opposition taken in good faith?

So what the hell was Justice Ayah doing there? It is also at this point that he called it quits and cut off the last thread that tied him with the CPDM. His resignation slightly coincided with the last twin elections in which Ayah did not come home with an empty ballot box. He grabbed some encouraging votes in some municipal councils.

I remember very well that shortly after his appointment at the Supreme Court, some reporters tried to contact him to enquire whether or not he has accepted the appointment. He was not positive in his response, which gave the impression that he had not yet made up his mind. But of recent there is every indication that he will take up the job.

This enquiry was also linked up with rumours that Justice Ayah has replaced the late Chief Ayamba as chairman of the SCNC.

So when last week the SCNC national organizing secretary said Justice Ayah was not a member of the SCNC, many were relieved. The SCNC is yet to establish its credibility in the face of a regime that has all the tactics necessary to incapacitate the SCNC.