“Some of our elites lie a lot, we’ll frustrate them”

...CPDM Elites, Section Presidents clash in South West.

Tempers are flaring within the ranks of the ruling Cameroon’s People Democratic Movement (CPDM) party in the South West Region as it makes desperate attempts to identify “real militants” ahead of a belated reorganisation of its basic organs.

During a meeting at the National Social Insurance Fund Hall at Mile 17 Buea, Saturday, January 24, to appraise ongoing sale of party cards, section presidents gave the impression that the party is hitting the rocks, citing differences they have with the elites.

After a welcome address from Senator Charles Mbella Moki, Fako III (Buea) CPDM Section President in which he said the sale of party cards was far advanced, the CPDM Central Committee delegation leader, Ibrahim Talba Malla rather was of the opinion that the sale hasn’t met expectations.

According to reports presented by section presidents of the three wings of the party across the region, militants are unwilling to buy the party cards.

Some militants, it was said, say the cards are expensive; while other militants are reportedly waiting to be served the cards for free.

“Women are very enthusiastic to buy the cards. A few complained about the high cost of the cards, but we’ve talked to them and they’ve understood. While we are struggling to let them buy, we hear there’s an elite who has gone to Yaoundé, bought cards and is giving them out for free,” Hannah Etonde Mbua, WCPDM Fako III Section President said.

Etonde Mbua went on to say that militants who had bought the cards are now demanding a refund given that they have been given the cards for free by some elite.

Reports from Ndian, Manyu, Meme, Lebialem and Kupe-Muanenguba gave a situation not different from that in Fako III.

Enanga Kebbi, CPDM Charges des Missions to the South West struggled to hold brief for the elites who are accused by section presidents of fanning discord within the party.

“…section presidents have confiscated the cards. We have received written complaints. We are surprised that people are saying in their reports that the sale of the cards is going on well,” Enanga Kebbi said.

Enanga Kebbi went on to add that “…Section presidents want to sell cards only to those militants friendly to them. They’ve gone as far as confiscating the cards for all the wings. Section presidents forget that they are not supposed to sell cards…elites were permitted by party hierarchy to buy cards and give to their branch presidents to sell.”

She went on to add that if some elites want to give out the cards for free, then it is their business.

One of the reports that raised eye brows disclosed that over 1,212 cards had been sold in the opposition SDF bastion of Kumba I. The report from Meme IA (Kumba I) had it that the sum of FCFA 5,854,000 has been realised this far from the sale of cards, with more expected.

Seemingly disturbed by what many have described as make-believe reports, Enanga Kebbi questioned the sincerity of the reports presented by the various sections.

“Cards in Meme are not circulating. Cards are not circulating in Meme IA. So where is the money you claim to have received from the sale of cards? The Central Committee has a negative feedback on Meme IA…Section Presidents will be tracked and sanctioned by the disciplinary committee of the party,” Enanga Kebbi said.

Reacting to the statements made by the Charges des Missions, some irritated section presidents in a near chorus shouted that “some of our elites lie a lot. We’ll frustrate them.”

Napoleon Abeh boasted that such scheming elites will not succeed in his section.

Even as the meeting ended with a plea for all to participate actively so as to beef up CPDM militant pool, the militants regretted that the cards for the YCPDM were made available late, two months after the launch of the exercise on November 22, 2014.