Ayah's Tale Of Two Conflicting Jobs

Paul Abine Ayah, National Chairman of the People Action Party, PAP, and former Member of Parliament for Akwaya Constituency in Manyu Division of the Southwest Region is not only becoming a prominent politician, but also a political colossus in Cameroon. That is not all. Ayah also has controversy wrapped all over him like a cobweb.

Hon Ayah’s political mettle was tested in 2009, when, as a CPDM MP, he joined legislators of the Social Democratic Front, SDF, to protest against the amendment of certain provisions of Cameroon’s Constitution that would permit President Paul Biya to contest the 2011 Presidential election and other future elections in the country. The then MP for Akwaya refused to join his party colleagues in clapping the amendment of the Constitution into law.

Ayah’s bravery was highly acclaimed by Cameroonians of different walks or life. In fact, Ayah was more or less accorded a hero's status and was, by and large, perceived as a veritable patriot, who, despite his political leaning and ideology, could still stand up for the common good.

After his 2009 heroic move, Ayah decamped from the CPDM, and joined forces with the Peoples ActionParty, PAP, and became vocal critic of Government action and policy. In fact, Ayah became a regular participant in almost every critical radio programme.

His popularity in Cameroon continued to surge and when he contested the 2011 Presidential election, he emerged third only after Paul Biya and Ni John Fru Ndi respectively.

As if that was not enough, in his quest for more political recognition and gain, Ayah dabbled into the Southern Cameroons National Council, SCNC, the secessionist movement that is fighting for the restoration of the independence of West Cameroon.

The entering of the PAP Chieftain into the SCNC further fuelled the leadership crisis that was already plaguing the movement. In fact, the scramble to fill the void in the SCNC left behind by Chief Ayamba after his demise also intensified.

When Hon Ayah started participating actively in SCNC activities, some proponents of the movement started scheming for him to take over the leadership of the movement. The Magistrate was relishing the opportunity, yet maintained sealed lips.

A Week Of Mixed Fortunes

Meanwhile, last week was a week of mixed fortunes for Hon Ayah. After he was voted as the National Chairman of the SCNC on Tuesday, December 16, on Thursday, December 18, he was equally appointed as the Advocate General of the Supreme Court by President Paul Biya.

His appointment as Advocate General of the Supreme Court barely 48 hours after he was elected SCNC National Chairman has left many people wondering which of the position the PAP Chieftain will renounce, or if he is going to adopt the convenient, albeit, circumstantial colours of a political chameleon.

It is widely reported by some papers that after winning the SCNC Chairmanship, Hon Ayah in his acceptance speech, congratulated the delegates for bestowing confidence on him. He promised not to betray the confidence the delegates had bestowed on him adding that his first step would be to make it to the United Nations in order to hasten the independence struggle of Southern Cameroonians.

However, after his appointment as Advocate General of the Supreme Court by a Presidential decree, reports are equally emanating that Hon Ayah said he was not even part of the Kumba conclave.

It was in a bid to shed light on what is fast becoming a controversy that this reporter approached Hon Ayah in his Buea residence to first of all congratulate him for his dual appointments and to find out which of them he was most likely to renounce. But through one of his sons, the former MP of Akwaya said he was in a meeting, as such, could not grant any interview to the press and that it would be advisable for the reporter to call back the next day. When this reporter honoured the appointment the next day, the MP was said not to be at home.

Be that as it may, Hon Ayah is now caught in a political dilemma, whether to champion the SCNC independent struggle as Chairman or to ditch the struggle and assume his new position as Advocate General of the Supreme Court, a position that may be more lucrative than an elusive independent struggle of the SCNC.

Biya Finally Ditches Dipanda Mouelle, Others

Meanwhile, President Paul Biya on Thursday, December 18, decided to ditch Alexis Dipanda Mouelle as the President of the Supreme Court after he had served for donkey years in that capacity. Many Cameroonians were clamouring for change at the Supreme Court, an institution that was more or less manned by septuagenarians and octogenarians, but Biya was still confident with his confidants at the Supreme Court, who played their own quota in sustaining his stewardship.

The long stay of Dipanda Mouelle as President of the Supreme Court was not surprising to many. Dipanda Mouelle was a man who could twist the law to suit the whims of his paymaster as opposed to just serving common national interest.

In one of his interviews after the famous 1990 Presidential elections, which the opposition SDF is widely believed to have won, Dipanda Mouelle stated categorically that the results were glaring but that his hands were tied.

However, with Dipanda Mouelle and his ilk now out of the way and the introduction of the likes of Hon Ayah into the very nerve centre of the justice system, Cameroonians are hoping that the country’s judicial system will become more transparent and independent and not left at the beck and call of the executive.