Why are CPDM militants dying for the post of Section President?

They Are Eying FCFA Billions In State Treasury

The first thing that comes to my mind is that of big people in the CPDM accumulating posts. So, I am tempted to think that these big people are being attracted to the post of Subsection Presidents, because, the party funds are directly collected from the State treasury. Else, I don’t see how somebody in Yaounde will be dying to be elected Section President, when he or she knows that no salary is attached to that post.

They are eyeing the FCFA billions that the party will dole out for campaigns during the upcoming Municipal, Legislative, Senatorial and Presidential elections in 2018. Has the CPDM ever conducted fund raising for party activities? No! So, where do they get the huge amounts they spend lavishly during campaigns, if it is not State money? Barrister Jacob Ateh, Bamenda

It Is Gross Self-centeredness

There is only one reason, which is, self-centeredness or egoism. Mayors and Parliamentarians, for example, want to maintain their positions. In fact, militants have understood that if you would be vying for an elective position in the future, you can easily get there if you are Section President. So, people can do anything, anytime and anyhow to get there and maintain the position. I am a CPDM militant and, let me be honest with you; we are all very selfish people. We serve neither the country nor the people.

I am in the party because I thought that I could change it and I am doing some changes in my own area. It is difficult, but possible. CPDM militants still have a very long way to go and I am advising that militants should start working for the interest of the nation and not just to facilitate their path to elective positions. Alfred Bonko, Entrepreneur, Buea

Protecting Themselves From Prosecution After Evil Deeds

From the look of things, most of the big people struggling to grab Section President posts in the ruling CPDM party today are those with stinking and maggot infested skeletons in their drawers or suitcases. These are fellows who must have committed one crime or another and think the position of Section President can protect them from being prosecuted in the law courts.

Marcel Kelley, Journalist, Bamenda

To Open Doors For Pecuniary Motives

Some people use the Section President office to ‘open doors’ for themselves. This is just an indication that some people want to secure so many positions for themselves. I will say, in our African political context, people will go fighting for positions even when there is apparently no money there. Some know that if they gain these positions, they will end up using them to ‘open doors’ for themselves in order to secure other pecuniary benefits.

Some are resigning because they are just crazy to get certain titles among their peers in the party. You realise that, even in some ‘njangi’ groups or associations where there are no budgets, people still scramble just to be President. So, at the level of the CPDM, I look at it as a mere fight where people want to acquire power and use it later on to open doors of opportunities for themselves. Peter Kum Geh, CPDM Councillor, Limbe

To Amass Wealth

They go in for the post of Section President because of self interest. They are out to amass wealth for themselves and their families. They are out to deceive the people. They do not have the people’s interest at heart. Enow Muluh, Teacher, Bamenda It’s A Pathway To Either Greatness Or Fill Hungry Stomachs

If you have keenly observed, you would have realised that, in the past five years or so, anybody who has been a CPDM Section President has either become a Mayor, Parliamentarian or Senator. That is why people are scrambling for the post. In addition, the hunger for influence is fuelling this struggle among militants. There are a lot of benefits because, from the Section President, you can proceed to be a member of the Central Committee and, from there, you can also be appointed by the Chairman of the party to an influential position.

I think militants are dying for the post for egoistic reasons. Even though there may be a few exceptions that are really willing to use the office to serve the people, a majority are working only to fill their own stomachs. You will note that the same post for the YCPDM and WCPDM is not seriously scrambled for, because, the power lies greatly in the post of Section President. My prayer is that those who successfully get into this office should work for the development of the society and the betterment of the party. Emmanuel Che, Businessman, Buea

To Enrich Themselves

I see those gunning for the post of Section President as people who want to grab the position and continue to grow rich. Why should a Director decide to come and contest election with villagers, when he does not live in the village to face the day-to-day problems of militants at the base? Bertin Kisob, CPSJ Party, Bamenda Preparing Self For Mayoral Position

A man resigning from the Reorganisation Committee has seen that they are like giving food to other persons and will come back to maintain certain positions that will not have the same advantages that those in the party have. Today, we hear that Mayors and their Deputies will be paid salaries. These are not things that happened yesterday. When you run for the post of a Section President or for the Section executive, you are already preparing yourself for the position of becoming a Mayor tomorrow.

So, the man who comes to reorganise as a member of the Reorganising Committee knows that he is just helping to build your political career, while putting his or hers in jeopardy. So, those resigning from the Committees to run for the elections, it will give them a better chance of progressing in their political careers than staying in the Reorganising Committees. I see it as a game of personal interest. But just that such projection of personal interests is more dangerous than fighting for the common good of the party. Bangsi Kwi, Political Analyst, Limbe

Fighting To Gain Grassroots Support They know what they are out to achieve, that is why they are rushing to become Section Presidents in their villages, while they are occupying top positions in Government. They are also fighting to gain support from the grassroots. They are equally looking for means to develop their villages. Nsairun Aliyu, Bike Rider, Bamenda

They Are Motivated By Influence, Power

Militants want the post to be indirectly controlling and benefiting from all the Members of Parliament from their Sections or Regions. There are no direct benefits in the office compared to that of a Mayor. You remember that development now is through the Councils and from which most Mayors are benefiting, but I don’t see any direct gains for being a Section President.

One thing I know is that, Section Presidents are probably those controlling the affairs of the party in their areas; Members of Parliament would be under them, Mayors might be under them; if the Mayors are CPDM Mayors. Since Mayors are now running the budget for local development in their areas, Section President might be invited to participate in the chunk of money being controlled by the Mayor. Members of Government and other CPDM ‘big guys ‘from that area, will be under their control, and they would feel very important and powerful. Tambe Ayuk, Petroleum Engineer, Buea

It Is A Rat Race Of Greed

Simply put, it is greed. This rat race of well-to-do elite rushing back to their villages wanting to be Section President is because they think only of themselves. To them, everything is me or nobody else. If it is not greed, why is it that a Director, Mayor or Minister with a huge budget to (mis)manage, still wants to be elected Subsection President, when you and I know that Section Presidents do not receive any salary. Gladys Lum, Teacher, Bamenda Politics Is A Game Of Interest

I feel that everybody has the right to his or her choice. In politics, people have their different interests. Maybe, I will like to be the President of my Subsection. So, if my name comes up as a member of the Re-organising Committee without my consent, then, I will be forced to resign because I have an interest. But if my name does come up as a member of the Committee and I have no interest, then I will stay on.

So, I don’t think there is a problem there. Politics is a game of interest. If somebody has his or her interest, he has a right to resign. Remember that there are some people out there who are also itchy to get into the Reorganising Committees. Jessica Tarh, Re-organising Committee Member, Fako IA They Are Driven By Corruption

Most of those fighting to become Section Presidents in their various areas is because they are corrupt. It is not genuine for people who are already working to be fighting to take up posts in the party, even retired workers are also fighting, even though they are young and capable people in the society. I don’t know the kind of country we are living in. Fabian Ngong, Police Officer, Bamenda It’s A Nursery For Bootlickers, Motions Of Support Politicians

They are dying for the position of Section President, not because they want to serve the party to which they belong, but what we must insist on very clearly is that the CPDM is not really a political party. The CPDM gives the semblance of a party, meanwhile, it is really a club of friends where they compensate those who work so hard for the ruling class.

When the CPDM came into being in 1985, those who attended that conference were later on rewarded with top positions in the Government, from where they enriched themselves and deprived their communities of development and common wealth.

From then, it has become a tradition that those who militate up to the rank of Section President all over the country are prospective candidates for appointment with Ministerial portfolio, Directors of parastatals, Ambassadors and other lucrative Government positions.

The system is carefully charted and Cameroonians, as smart as they are, especially of the CPDM club, have understood how the party has operated over the years. It has become a screening of bootlickers or motion of support givers, getting a select class which would be able to stand tall and say this is what I am capable of doing. They are equally very good at rigging elections as confirmed by Marafa.

Summarily, CPDM militants badly want this post because President Paul Biya is an absentee landlord and is unaware of what goes on at the grassroots, everything that is brought to his table is ‘truesemblance’.

They create a kind of scenario to make Biya think he is very strong in their areas, deceiving him into believing that these are really popular people who have the people’s support back home. They have managed this for so many years and it has been working very well, so, why change a system that is winning. So, the Ministers and all these ‘big guys’ are rushing back to pick up positions to back up the positions they have acquired in Government because they know they can use it at any time to keep pointing to the President that they have the population behind them. Njousi Abang, PAP Militant, Buea It’s A Springboard And Fallback Position

Those going down to villages to pick Section President posts, make me think that this position is a springboard and a fallback position. For those who are not in Government and are aspiring to enter Government or be seen, the position of Section President of CPDM is a springboard, because of visibility. But those already in Government think this is a fallback position when they are sacked. It is also a position of hope, because, while there, you are still expecting an appointment.

As Section President, you are a link with the base and the top brass or hierarchy of the party. Nobody gets in touch with the party hierarchy or the base without passing through you. As Section President, you are the standard bearer of the party. So, to me, this position is that of strength. It is, actually, the most strategic and prestigious position of the ruling party. Choves Loh, SOPECAM Chief, Bamenda

They Want BiyaTo Keep Them In Power

Those who are clamouring for the post of Section President are only fighting for their interests. They are looking for a means which the President can keep them in power. Even with their wrong-doings, they want to be elected just because of self interest. They are only fighting for power, while deceiving the people. Samuel Numfor, Businessman, Bamenda