9 February Twin Polls in Manyu:

Victor Mengot Galvanizes Troops for Clean Sweep

-The Head of the Manyu Divisional Campaign Commission, HDCC-Manyu, Minister Victor Mengot Arrey Nkongho, has prescribed door-to-door, all-for-one, one-for-all campaign, in Manyu, saying the CPDM must first win, and win big, all three parliamentary seats and four councils, in Manyu, before thinking of who becomes Mayor of which council.

By Ayukogem Steven Ojong in Yaounde with field reports

Manyu CPDM militants meeting at Mt Hotel Buea on Saturday

“It has been brought to my attention that despite reminders posted time and time again, some interested parties have decided, albeit regrettably, to deliberately mislead militants and sympathizers of the CPDM that the Head of the Permanent Delegation (PDD) for Manyu, has accorded his endorsement to some individuals in their quest to hold executive positions in Councils…The Head of the PDD makes it abundantly clear that he has not at no time endorsed the candidacy of any comrade(s) to the position of Mayor in any of the four councils in Manyu division, nor participated at any meeting to that effect. The HPDD invites all and sundry to disregard this intoxication and concentrate on what should be our primary preoccupation for now – winning the 3 legislative seats and four councils in Manyu for the CPDM and winning BIG. The watch words should be maximum mobilization and participation at the elections…”

                It was with these words of clarification that the Head of the Divisional Campaign Commission for Manyu, Victor Mengot Arrey Nkongho, reassured Manyu CPDM militants, re-boosted their morale and galvanized them as they set forth to Buea for the official launch of the campaigns at the regional level, before they head to Mamfe in a few days for the divisional campaign launch, then to Akwaya, Eyumojock and Tinto to hunt for much-needed votes.

                Before heading to Buea, Victor Mengot had convened and chaired in Yaounde, series of meetings with his collaborators of the DCC and other stakeholders in the 9 February twin elections, to inform, educate, sensitize, brainstorm and strategize with them on the stakes, and especially the new challenge that awaits the party in Manyu with the surprise re-emergence of the CPP party.

                It should be noted that unlike in past elections, the CPDM will face stiff competition from an opposition party in Manyu – the Cameroon Peoples’ Party, CPP, whose leader happens to be a son of Manyu, in the person of Enow Benz Bate aka Benzcam.

                The CPP is wrestling the CPDM for the three parliamentary seats (Mamfe, Eyumojock, Tinto), and two (Mamfe, Akwaya) of the four council. The party is also eying the lone parliamentary seat in Lebialem.

                Bearing in mind that elections are never won in advance, Victor Mengot cautioned militants not to take things for granted. He urged militants to leave no stone unturned and to knock open all doors to meet and convince potential voters to vote the CPDM.

                “The political ground has suddenly become rough for us in Manyu. True, our division remains a bastion of the CPDM. But we must not minimize any challenge. We must guard against any surprises that the opposition could spring,” Mengot cautioned, at once stating emphatically that the CPDM must not only win but win BIG, in Manyu.

                He reiterated these guidelines to militants at the Mountain Hotel in Buea, during a meeting he chaired early morning on Saturday, ahead of the big event of the day – the regional campaign launch at the official grandstand at Bongos Square.

                The CPDM will launch its divisional campaign in Mamfe in the days ahead. A fundraiser initiated by the Head of the DCC, has witnessed an impressive response from militants, with several millions FCFA already collected to finance the campaigns in the division. The collection is still ongoing.