Buea Rural Constituency:

Robert Mbella Embola

SDF Candidate Turns Down 20m Bribe, Promises Sweeping Changes
Robert Mbella Embola, SDF Parliamentary candidate for Buea Rural, has dispelled rumours that he has backed out of the race for a seat in Parliament.
    Sources familiar with the story say, Robert Embola, the SDF candidate allegedly turned down a 20million bribe, meant to buy him out of the race, for his opponent to have an easy ride. Our sources say the candidate was first proposed FCFA 10 million, which he turned down, and then the amount was doubled to FCFA 20 million, which he still turned down.
    In a press release, the candidate stated that, contrary to rumours spread by detractors, he is upbeat about running for Parliament in order to bring progressive change to Buea Rural and “Make Buea Great Again”.
    In a disclaimer, the Parliamentary candidate stated: “I, Robert Mbella Embola, hereby deny the allegation that I have desisted from running for Parliament under the mandate of the Social Democratic Front, SDF. I consider the on-going rumour as a calculated plan by unscrupulous detractors to confuse and derail my supporters, vis-à-vis the February 9 twin elections.

Governor Criticizes DO Over Assault of Teacher

Gov. Abakar Ahamat

Retired Governor, Abakar Ahamat, has criticised the conduct of the Divisional Officer, DO, of Ayos, Nyong and Mfoumou division, of the Centre region, Mireille Sandrine Ngo Mbey, which resulted in the assault of a philosophy teacher, Steve Ondoa on January 22.
Abakar, senior civil administrator of exceptional class, shared his view about the incident which transpired on the campus of Government Bilingual High School, GBHS, Ayos as guest on Yaoundebased radio station, Royal FM, on Tuesday January 28. It was during the programme, ‘Le Point Littéraire’.
    According to the retired governor, Ngo’s behavior showed a lack of professionalism in the discharge of her duties as a civil administrator. Abakar underscored that though the law empowers a DO as the master of his administrative unit, civility warranted Ngo to have written to the principal of the college stating her mission on the campus of the college.
    The former governor said the Ayos DO went too low to be using a scissors to cut uniforms of students who were poorly dressed. To Abakar, there ard other means of handling problems of indiscipline in a school milieu. On the reported assault of Ondoa, a philosophy tutor by ‘ the IX), Abakar quipped that civil administrators don’t go physical in handling problems.

9 February Twin Elections:

Four Opposition Parties Form Alliance to Capture Voters
By Doh Bertrand Nua in Yaoundé

Four parties pen alliance agreement to capture voters

Political parties sign agreemnt to back each other in Some opposition political parties heading for the February twin municipal and legislative polls have signed protocol agreement to work in synergy and protect their votes, ensure representation in polling stations and vote one another’s candidates in areas where one party isn’t battling for a seat. Part of the agreement was signed in Yaounde, at the Secretariat of the SDF in Olezoa 25 January 2020.
    According to the agreement signed between the Vice President of the SDF for the Centre Region, Aloys Parfait Mbvoum and Bonono Bakota René, National Communication Secretary of the United People for Social Renovation (PURS) party, who doubles as list leader for legislative election in Mbam and Inoubou constituency indicates that both parties federate efforts to protect.
    It indicates that militants of PURS will vote SDF in the legislative election in Mfoundi Constituency, Yaounde I and Makenene Councils while the SDF militants on their part will vote the PURS list in the legislative election in Mbam and Inoubou Constituency and in councils where PURS will be running for the municipal election in the Centre Region.

9 February Twin Polls:

UPC Reaffirms Support for CPDM
The oldest political party in Cameroon, the Union des Populations Camerounaise, UPC, has asked its militants to vote for CPDM lists in areas were the party is not fielding candidates for the 9 February 2020 twin municipal/legislative elections.
By Ayukogem Steven Ojong in Y’de

UPC SG Hon. Bapooh Lipot (M) addressing bigwigs of the party

The UPC party has reaffirmed its alliance with and support for the ruling CPDM party, calling on UPC supporters and sympathizers to vote CPDM lists in the 9 February twin elections that is, in all areas where the UPC has not fielded candidates for the election.
    UPC party took the firm decision at a meeting of the governing council of the party holding in Yaounde on Sunday 2 February.
    Speaking to reporters after the over three-hour meeting, the executive secretary general of UPC, Hon. Robert Bapooh Lipot, said the UPC has decided to continue its support for the CPDM party despite the rejection of several UPC lists by Elecam.
    Hon. Lipot said even though militants of UPC have not taken kindly the rejection of many UPC lists for the election, the party will still run in the election in the areas where its candidates were validated. Hon. Lipot UPC’s decision to run is a sign of the maturity of the party. He called for total mobilization of militants for a massive vote of the party on 9 February.
    The UPC SG however asked militants of his party to vote CPDM lists in areas where the UPC has no candidates running.
    He said the governing council of the party will be meeting with the leaders of the CPDM in the days ahead to evaluate the alliance they entered years ago.
    Bapoh Lipot frowned at some militants of the UPD who have crossed carpeted to other parties and are running for the twin elections under the banner of these parties. He said cross-carpeting is an act of high treason and such militants are automatically dismissed from the UPC.

Mfoundi CPDM Poised for Clean Sweep

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Yaoundé
Officials of the ruling Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement, CPDM Party in Mfoundi Division, Centre Region have vowed to secure a 100% win for the party during the twin municipal and legislative polls come February 9, 2020.
    The resolve was taken during the regional campaign launch by the regional campaign head, Minister Rene Emmanuel Sadi.  The campaign was launched in the presence of the CPDM party scribe of the Central Committee, Jean Nkuete.
    At the end of the launch a motion of support was addressed to the party Chairman, Paul Biya. Officials vowed to do all they could to secure all the councils and parliamentary seats.

Upsurge in Adult, Juvenile Delinquency:

Nico Halle Prays for Divine Intervention in Cameroon
By Doh Bertrand Nua in Yaounde 

Bar. Nico Halle

International peace crusader and acclaimed morality enthusiast, Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle, has observed with utter dismay and unreserved vexation the rapid decline in morality and upsurge of delinquency among adults and juveniles in Cameroon.
    Outraged by the rapid breakdown in morality and uncontrolled escalation of violence coupled with galloping decline in societal values as epitomized by wanton corruption and pilfering of state funds by public officials, and the frightening upsurge of violence in school milieu, Nico Halle says that perhaps, only divine intervention will save Cameroon from imminent apocalypse.
    Expressing his total disappointment and outrage at the escalation of juvenile delinquency in school milieu as typified by the stabbing to death recently of a teacher by his 15-year-old student, the member of the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism, at once blamed the situation on the lack of God’s vision in all sectors of national life in Cameroon.
    Nico Halle questions for instance why moral and/or spiritual education is not included in the school curricula in today’s Cameroon, as was the case decades ago.
    “A child who lives school without good moral upbringing is a potential danger to society,” Nico Halle opines, concluding that the breakdown in morals that translates today in corruption, embezzlement of public funds, and the upsurge of violence are upshots of long years of the absence of moral teaching in schools, which has caused those who pass for parents, teachers, politicians, administrators etc in Cameroon to only impart bad habits to the young ones.
    “The question begs to be asked: where do you think the 15-year-old student who stabs his teacher learned to move with a knife? It can only be from the home,” Nico Halle answers, emphasizing that a morally bankrupt teacher, father, administrator etc can only pass on immorality and bad education to his children.
    It is from this premise that Nico Halle blames the breakdown in morality in Cameroon to the failure of collective responsibility from parents, government, teachers, politicians, traditional chiefs etc. He used the occasion to re-launch a nation-wide advocacy and crusade for moral rearmament in Cameroon.

Daring the Odds:

Thousands Welcome Paul Tasong, CPDM Caravan In Lebialem
The Minister Delegate to the MINEPAT in charge of Planning, who doubles as the leader of the divisional campaign team for Lebialem, Paul Njukang Tasong, on Sunday, led a powerful delegation to Ntemnzem, in Wabane subdivision, where he chaired a big campaign rally. He also led a triumphal peace march from Ntemnzem to the Mbelenka Market in Alou subdivision. Commentators said it takes a courageous, dare-daring political leader to brave the frightening insecurity and undertake such a trip to Lebialem.
By Fortuchang Innocent in Wabane

Members of CPDM campaign caravan brandishing peace plants

The Pictures tell the story better. It was a huge crowd, numbering over 2000 heads, that came out to welcome the Minister Delegate to the Minepat in charge of Planning, at the campaign ground in Ntemnzem, Wabane subdivision, on Sunday 2 February. Paul Tasong was a the head of a powerful delegation of CPDM elites that had come from far and near to commune with the militants of the CPDM in Lebialem, and to encourage them to keep up the steam, as the campaigns for the 9 February twin municipal and legislative elections enter the final sprint in the division.
    Minister Paul Tasong, who is also the Head of the Permanent CPDM Central Committee Delegation to Lebialem, could not conceal his joy and elation as he successfully did the feat of joining his PDM brothers and sisters in the war-ravaged Lebialem division for the election campaigns.
    “Thank you my journalist friend for daring the odds despite all the challenges to get to this place. Maybe I first correct you by saying that we are not launching the campaigns today, we are continuing the work that we started ever since the campaigns opened over a week ago. But it is the first very big meeting we are having here today. And I must say I am very elated by the big crowd that have come out to welcome us here today. When I was on my way here I kept asking myself I will be able to see a crowd at my destination. Today we have seen a crowd of more than 2000 Lebialem people who have come out at Kongme on the occasion of the mega campaign rally organized in view of the twin legislative and municipal elections holding in one week. For the politicians that we are, we can only be so elated for number of persons we have seen in this locality here today. You know politics is a game of numbers,” said a visibly happy and confident Paul Tasong.
    “We have come here today with a strong message and the message is that there is life in Lebialem. We have come here to prove the contrary to those who claim that life in Lebialem has come to a halt. We have been talking to the people, telling them that there is life in Lebialem. But nobody believed us. Today you can see for yourself. I hope after seeing the pictures all the doubting Thomases who did not believe us would change their perception of Lebialem,” Tasong remarked further, noting that “Lebialem is a land of milk and honey; a land blessed with rich, fertile soils and extremely intelligent and hardworking population.”
    The Lebialem political vision-bearer, Paul Tasong, expressed confidence that his brothers and sisters of the division would in their legendary intelligence, cast their votes, and in great numbers, for the CPDM on 9 February.