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Wednesday, August 24, 2016

10 Fundamental Reasons Why an Anglophone Must be Elected National President at the Upcoming CPDM elective Congress

1]-Poetic Justice: A vote for an Anglophone for CPDM Party Chairmanship in the upcoming elective congress would be an act of poetic justice on the part of francophone CPDM militants who have since the formation of the Cpdm party in 1985 and the CNU in the 60s, benefited from unflinching support from Anglophone party supporters in all major party electoral consultations. This would also compensate for the huge injustice unto Anglophones committed by incumbent President Paul Biya when he changed the pre-1984 rule of an Anglophone being his constitutional successor. Given the opportunity offered by the upcoming elective congress, Biya has a unique opportunity to right this wrong meted unto a people who freely joined the union as a state in its own right. By pushing for such a move at the helm of the ruling party, Biya would be paying great homage to Anglophone intelligence that was critical to fuelling and serving his life and Presidency during the 1984 coup plot of former President Ahidjo. Failure to do so, history will judge him.
2]-A Balancing Act: A vote for an Anglophone for CPDM party Presidency 2016 would be a balancing act after the 1985 plebiscite where Anglophone CPDM militants overwhelmingly voted for Chairman Paul Biya who took over the CNU from President Amadou Ahidjo. This, after Anglophone leaders voluntarily agreed to dissolve the parties they came with from former West Cameroon and merge with Ahidjo’s CNU. If 31 years after the creation of the CPDM, francophone militants also vote to sustain this union by jointly supporting an Anglophone for Cpdm party leadership, and eventually Cameroon’s President, it will enhance the hitherto heralded democratic leadership in the CPDM.  as well as the bond of brotherliness between the two peoples.
3]-Peace, Unity and Stability: A majority francophone support for an Anglophone for Cpdm party leadership during the upcoming elective congress would be a vote for the fostering of the bonds of brotherliness between the two peoples. It will also be a true translation of the much talked about peace, unity and stability of the Country. Such a gesture would also dose off perceptions of second class citizenship that has been demonstrated in triumphant detail over the years at the level of the party’s Central Committee where the Secretary General and assistants as well as Communication Directors and assistants are all Francophones and where no Anglophone holds any decision-making position.
4]-Fundamental Democratic Principles: By supporting an Anglophone for Cpdm party leadership 2016, francophone militants would be demonstrating in triumphant detail their attachment to a fundamental democratic value- that of respect and support for minority rights. The Cpdm would have no choice but to support an Anglophone candidate as there is enough jurisprudential evidence to the effect that in the run up to the 2013 twin elections, the party sponsored the policy of 30% chances for women, youths and other minorities in each list, and in the process, unrepresentative lists were effectively rejected. In the same light, we expect that any list for positions in the National bureau that is not headed by an Anglophone should be out-rightly rejected by the scrutiny committee of the CPDM Central Committee.
5]-Politic na Njangi Notion: By supporting an Anglophone for Cpdm party presidency 2016, francophone militants would be voting for an exemplary and inclusive Cpdm where both Francophones and Anglophones enjoy the same rights and responsibilities and where Rt. Hon Achidi Achu’s notion of ‘politic na njangi’ is translated into concrete reality. It could not be otherwise given that since creation, an Anglophone has been 1st Vice President and should naturally move on to the Presidency.
6]-Common Wealth: A majority support by francophone CPDM militants of an Anglophone Candidate for party leadership would be an added advantage for them to enjoy the real Anglo-Saxon values of transparency, accountability, respect for Presidential term limits and the common wealth as well as the standardization of procedures in doing political business.
7]-Consolidation of Party Reorganization Gains: If there was any one message the base sent to CPDM party hierarchy during the just ended across-the-board reorganization of its basic organs, it was that a change of leadership was also needed at the top. To most CPDM militants, there was no reason for an across-the-board overhaul of basic structures of the party to come again and keep old guard at the helm. The quality of leadership that the base produced at the helm of its various Sections was signal that the party needed new and energetic leadership to cross over 2018. Such aspirations from the base would only be met by an Anglophone being elected CPDM Chairman and by extension, its flag bearer for the 2018 Presidential elections.
8]-Dignity and Respect: By supporting an Anglophone for Cpdm party Presidency 2016, the majority francophone Cpdm militants would be voting for dignity and respect by the rest of the political parties that dot the Cameroon political landscape and the international political arena given the central role respect for minority rights by the majority play in international politics.
9]-Proof Positive of a Diversified Cameroonian Society: A vote for an Anglophone for CPDM Party leadership would be proof positive that Cameroon is a society full of diversity. It would also be enough proof that Cameroon’s diversity is an asset and not a liability as obtains in other societies. This will usher in the Anglo-Saxon political system where free political debate and transparency is the rule and not the exception as now obtains in Cameroon. Such a healthy political debate forms the building blocks for a decent life and society free of rampant corruption, embezzlement and political victimization and sycophancy.
10]-Concrete Demonstration of Advanced Democracy: By voting for an Anglophone for CPDM Party leadership and by extension, Cameroon’s Presidency, the majority francophone CPDM militants would not only be going back to the roots, since the CPDM was birthed in Bamenda in 1985, but would be proving beyond all reasonable doubts that it remains an avant-gardist political party. This, in a country where nearly all political parties that people the political landscape have never thought of changing its leadership. This laudable move by the CPDM leadership in the upcoming elective Congress, we hope, would mark the beginning of rotatable party leadership in major political parties in Cameroon. It would be a fulfillment of incumbent President Paul Biya’s long standing and express wish  to be remembered as having brought democracy to Cameroon through the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM.
N/B: As usual, I already hear some Cameroonians asking who that Anglophone capable of replacing President Paul Biya would be. To that, I tell them they do not come in short supply, beginning with: Yang Philemon, Peter Mafany Musonge, Akere Muna, Prof Elvis Ngole Ngole, Dr. Dione Ngute, Fai Yengo Francis, Mbella Moki, Hon. Lifaka Monjua,  Shey Nfor Musa, Fru Jonathan and you name them. It’s all a debate for another day. For now, let the voting for party leadership begin.
Done this day in Bamenda 24/08/16
Gwain Colbert
Spokesperson for Campaigners for Anglophone 4 Presidency 2018




When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

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