Ahead of 9 Feb. Twin Polls:

Atanga Nji Urges Governors to Tighten Security
By Doh Bertrand Nua in Yaounde 

MINAT Boss, Police & Gendarme bosses pose with Governors

The Minister of Territorial Administration has reassured both national and international opinion that the upcoming Municipal and Legislative elections billed for 9 February 2020 will take place in all 58 divisions and 360 subdivisions in the country.
    Paul Atanga Nji gave the assurance as he opened the First Bi-annual Governors’ Conference convened under the auspices of the Head of State, Paul Biya, with objective to review the security situation and ensure optimal security in the regions ahead of the twin polls. The meeting was attended by the Delegate General for National Security, Martin Mbarga Nguele and the Secretary of State for the National Gendarmerie, Galax Yves Landry Etoga.
    Addressing the governors, Atanga Nji urged them to ensure strict implementation of security measures in their various areas of command and ensure the elections are hitch-free, fair and transparent and proceed in an atmosphere of calm and serenity. 

    Giving the peculiarity of the security situation in some regions, Atanga said as the agent of the government in the electoral process, it is incumbent on him to guarantee appropriate security before, during and after the polls.
    Harping on the importance of voting as a means towards participating in the country’s development, Atanga Nji prayed all Cameroonians to go to the polls. He sent a grim warning to persons who would try to discourage and prevent others from participating in elections, saying any such persons would be made to face the wrath of the state. 
    Atanga Nji enjoined all and sundry through Bible verses to respect decisions of those who are in the governing class, adding that everyone must submit to governing authorities since all authority comes from God.
    “Anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted and they will be punished,” he said.
    He cautioned the electorate not to be misled by social media postings, saying that elections are not lost and won on social media, which he described as “temples of evil where cyber criminals and lazy people seek to scare and mislead others.”
    He charged the Governors to step up meet-the-people tours in order to give the right information to the population and enlighten them on the government’s actions towards them like agriculture, education, infrastructure and others.