The South West Regional Chairman of the SDF has told The SUN that the vote-buying machinery of the CPDM has frustrated the chances of them winning elections.
He however says in this revealing interview with Atia Tilarious Azohnwi that the SDF will spring surprises during the next political consultations in 2018.
A party like the SDF has existed for 25 years and not taken power. Is there need to celebrate such an anniversary?
I think there is actually a lot for the SDF to celebrate. We’ve achieved a lot in 25 years. If a child was born 25 years ago, that child should have graduated from the university. As the child celebrates such achievements, the SDF also celebrates. We’ve achieved a lot in social development, economic development, political development, and of course in the mobilisation for action in this country.
What concretely has the SDF achieved if one were to judge from the political diary of Cameroon?
Cameroon’s political landscape has improved considerably. The liberty laws of 1990 were flouted by the regime in power, but the SDF came out strong to make sure the laws are respected. The SDF in 25 years has been able to moralise the population.
We’re the only political party that has been able to challenge government to tackle endemic corruption rooted in the government service. Many government functionaries were looting state money; some general managers, government ministers among others are paying the price for corruption.
The SDF saw all these ills and drew the attention of government to these things. At the beginning, they asked for proof and when the SDF produced the proofs, today we have an entire cabinet in prison. These are those found guilty of pilfering from the state treasury. This is one of the missions of the SDF, to monitor government’s excesses.
Democratic change in Cameroon still seems farfetched, if one were to use the credibility of elections to judge.
The SDF after 1996 has found it very difficult to get victory from the ballot box. In the South West, the SDF won all the councils in Fako Division. SDF also won the council in Kumba. In fact, the SDF did extremely well in 1996. That was when they were testing the democracy in Cameroon in terms of elections.
Since the SDF did so well, we witnessed a lot of frustration in the elections that followed. Some persons were not registered because they were thought to be SDF, where elections were rigged, Cameroonians disenfranchised, chased from polling stations and a lot more. This is one of the things that have happened to the SDF and the SDF is still fighting for a perfect way of organising elections in this country.
We’ve seen votes buying; they’ve been buying the votes of the SDF. We’ve seen massive corruption on the days of elections. We’ve seen that successive election managing bodies have always been on the side of the ruling party (the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, the CPDM). This is because those managing elections are appointed by government.
At sometimes, as they say, you cannot bite the finger that feeds you. So, they have been forced to do things according to the wills of the person who pays them. Elections in this country have never been free and fair at all after 1996. Elections have been rigged beyond proportion and that is what the SDF is determined to fight until such a time the electoral process will be very free.
Who buys SDF votes and who sells?
Well, as you know, we’ve always had a situation where politicians from the ruling party have been corrupting members of the SDF. They have been victimising them, and they have been proposing huge sums of money to some of them, and some have been promised jobs, contracts and a lot more if only they betrayed the SDF. I want to take this opportunity to thank all the SDF members who have stood firm not to betray the ideals of the SDF.
All the same, we’ve also had some self-seeking people who came to the SDF because they wanted to enjoy certain benefits. As soon as they got those benefits, they abandoned the party. That notwithstanding, people come and go but the party remains. The SDF is poised more than ever before to spring surprises in the next consultations in 2018 and that is why we’re calling on all Cameroonians to know that SDF is the hope of Cameroon.
Therefore, they should rekindle their hope, interest and massive support for the SDF. In 25 years, SDF has shaped the political platform of this country; it has proved that it is a veritable political party by refusing to enter government.
In 25 years, the SDF leader and his top executives have crossed this country over and over. They have acquainted themselves with the plights of Cameroonians. This is a country that has so much, but not all the people have; not even drinkable water. The SDF has for 25 years made Cameroonians to know that Cameroon is for us all – Cameroon is for you and for me. We should make Cameroon a liveable place. Everyone should be seen as enjoying from the national dining table.
The SDF is seen to castigate the CPDM regime in the day, but wines and dines with them at nightfall. Is that the kind of SDF that Cameroonians should be celebrating? Many are those who use the SDF fortunes at the maiden Senate elections to prove their point.
How would you imagine that the SDF castigates government in public and goes behind to wine with them? Wouldn’t the people whom have been castigated be angry? Would they be comfortable with the SDF? Such an allegation is unfounded – the SDF doesn’t wine with the CPDM.
The CPDM is the party in power and their political ideologies are different from that of the SDF. We both have separate political agendas. Our objective is to have a Cameroon where all will be treated fairly. SDF has this program of developing this country for all to be happy. I don’t think it is a good thing that Ndian Division from where the country’s oil comes hasn’t even a kilometre of tarred roads.
Are there any persons who have sold SDF votes to the CPDM? Can we have some names?
I don’t know anyone who sold elections. If there is anybody who sold elections, such a person would have been tried and sanctioned according to the constitution of the country. It is not possible for anyone to have sold elections in the last pools.
Given the fact that the CPDM wanted to win the elections by all course, because President Biya was visiting Fako, they said it was a do or die. Therefore, they came together, mobilised a lot of money and of course, they corrupted the electorate by buying votes of the SDF. To correct these unfortunate situations, SDF is clamouring to have a single ballot paper. It will solve the problem of vote-buying and election rigging.
The SDF party has embarked on a nation-wide reconciliation drive. How visible is this exercise in the south west?
The SDF has made a public statement to rehabilitate members who left the party. If there is anyone who was aggrieved in the past, such a person should come back to the fold. The constitution requirements will have to be upheld.
It is alleged that you frustrated the Idenau municipal list in 2013; that you siphoned money meant to register the party’s candidates. Was it necessary to do such?
These are baseless allegations. Siphoned which money? The money came from where? The situation of Idenau was very unfortunate; that Idenau on the final day of submission of files had not put its files together. The money came from the party headquarters in Yaoundé and got into the hands of a senior party official in Limbe (Louis Shalo) to pay for the registration in Idenau. Up to the last minute, their documents were not complete.
After the deadline, the documents were brought to me to see if there was a possibility or them to deposit their files at ELECAM; and as you will know, there was no way. The money sent from party hierarchy was used to pay cost incurred by the senior party official in Limbe.
And what do you make of claims that you gave away the Fako-East and Fako-West constituencies to the CPDM?
If you are a politician going in for elections, you should be able to k now the rules of the games. The problem in Fako-West and Fako-East Constituencies was that of gender. We were required to have a male and a female in both lists. Unfortunately, we had two males. Gender was not respected. When people say I sold the lists, I think this is political hatred. All those making such statements are little minds.
Can Cameroonians still trust the SDF?
Yes. The SDF is the only hope we have in Cameroon. Let the people rekindle their hope in the SDF. Happy Anniversary!!!
