Biya Extends Mandate of Elecam Board, Appoints One New

President Paul Biya has finally extended the mandate of Board members of Elections Cameroon-ELECAM for another four years after they were acting in illegality since December 30, 2012. Dr. Fonkam Azu’u was predicted was reappointed Board Chairman while others were confirmed. Beside that the Presidential Decree of January 8, 2012 also appointed a business magnet by name Amadou Gouroudja to replace Pauline Biyong, who was sacked from the board for her involvement in the distribution of CDPM posters during the last Presidential Elections of 2011. However, the press in recent weeks has been sounding an alarm that the actions of Dr. Fonkam Azu'u Samuel, Chairman of the Board of Elections Cameroon (Elecam) as well as other members of the board were illegitimate and illegal, giving that their four-year term had expired on December 30 , 2012. Even though it is alleged the Presidential Decree was signed on December 30, 2012, public opinion is still wondering why it was on January 8, 2013 that the information public was made public. Although the Presidential Decree was made public while all members of the electoral board are in the field for a national awareness campaign on biometric voter’s registration, indicators are rife at that the registration process is still very slow and Elections Cameroon needs to intensify field activities reasons why Fonkam Azu'u is announced in the Northwest Region this week to follow-up the ongoing registration process.

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