Mayor Petitions ELECAM over Fate of Decamped Councillors

By Fai Cassian Ndi

 The Mayor of Nkambe Council, Mangoh Jones Tanko has petitioned ELECAM over the fate of some councilors who dumped the SDF party for CPDM. Mangoh Jones Tanko who is alternate to Cheka Gladys on SDF senatorial list in his petition to ELECAM titled "Illegal putting of names of non-councilors on Nkambe list by ELECAM for Donga Mantung Division" indicates that the names of HRH Fon Benchep Nfor Adamu and Ngingyu Florence Beri shouldn't appear on the list of voters because they both resigned from their positions as councilor and First Deputy Mayor respectively. 

With senatorial election billed for April 14, the fear according to what we gathered is that the two councilors who resigned would stage a come-back to vote in favour of the CPDM. Classified sources say the fear is that these two votes will further bury the SDF party in Donga Mantung Division. However, allegations are rife at that this is a ploy by the CPDM to further weaken the strength of the SDF in Nkambe council. Notwithstanding, Mangoh Jones justified his protest with references to the council law. He outlined that to qualify as a councilor " You must belong to a political party running that council or your seat is vacant". Accordingly, he went further to observe that the two councilors have not attended three successive council session which is enunciated by Section 48(1) of law No 2004/18 0f July 2004 to lay down rules applicable to councilors. 

Another close source hinted that three councilors are said to have resigned from the SDF to join the CPDM. The latest our informant hinted is a councilor of Kudu in Tabenken who also submitted his letter of resignation. Sources say he also joined the CPDM. Yet, the case of the Fon of Binka, HRH Fon Benchep Adamu Nfor and Ngingyu Florence Beri are pathetic giving that the list of attendance of council sessions for last three do not carry their names. Implicitly, the law according information from the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization is  clear that once a councilor doesn't appear during three session and without any notification, he/she is considered as having resigned. Tension is reported in Nkambe as rumours continue to take the stage. Another source hinted that only 36 out of 41 councilors will cast their votes, yet if the two others are added, the number of voters in the Nkambe council will be raised to 38. Three councilors are reported to have died. 

The problem in the Nkambe council according what we gathered is more of human than any other. Some say it is because some people have transformed the entire structure into an extraordinary affair that there is also an atmosphere of uncertainty. 

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