Senatorial Challenges: Who Will Biya Appoint as Senators from the NW?

 By Fai Cassian Ndi

After April 14, 2013 President Biya is expected to sign series of important decrees. One of such decrees would certainly be the decree appointing three Northwesterners senators. The question as to whether who will be appointed from the North West Region has been rife. The political elite who attempted to contest but their aspirations were short-lived are all positioning. But really who will President Biya appoints? President Biya has been talking of a 30% quota for women in the senate. By this, it implies that out of the 10 senators from the North West, automatically three women should be among. The CPDM Senatorial list has Eno Emma Lafon as the lone female substantive candidate. SDF senatorial list has Cheka Gladys Ntala as well as the lone female candidate.  Unreservedly if the CPDM or SDF list wins, two women must be appointed to make up the 30% quota for women. It is therefore indicative that President Biya will give two positions to women and one to a man.

The question every Northwesterner has been asking is whether President Biya also promised North West Fon when he last visited Bamenda that one of them would be appointed senator. If President Biya did told fons that who then would be appointed? Fon Chafah, Fo Angwafo III, Fon Aneng, Fon Selhm Mbinglo, Fon Gahyonha or Fon Teche Njei. Fon Chafah is the Secretary General of Cameroon Traditional Rulers Forum, yet when postulated for senate and the central committee rejected his name from the list. Fon Chafah’s list was the best given that his list produced 80% of the candidates that were invested. The fact that he was rejected speaks volume. Fon Aneng of Bafmen is a member of the politbureau of the CPDM. Fon Aneng was made member of the politbureau when he was President of North West Fons Union-NOWEFU. Many doubts have been raised as to whether he could be appointed. Fon Selhm Mbinglo of Nso is very reserved when it comes to politicking. But he had never made public whether he is interested in partisan politics.  

The fon of Bali, HRM Gahyongha is a member of the Central Committee but he submitted in Achidi Achu’s list. He was not invested by the central committee which many see it as already analytical. Fon Teche Njei is the section President of Momo West or something like that. He was also an aspirant on Achidi Achu’s list but was not invested as well. Fon Teche led the delegation to North West Governor and they expressed their wish for President Biya to appoint a traditional ruler of the region as senator. However, the question as to whether he could be appointed as come to naught given that he was not invested. Fo Angwafo III of Mankon is the 1^st Vice President of the CPDM. He is also the regional campaign team leader and he was also the man who supervised the recompilation of voters register using biometric. He is a wealth of experience in politics starting from the days of KNDP. He entered into records as the ever lone Anglophone independent candidate that won elections to the West Cameroon House and a former member of the defunct House of Chiefs of West Cameroon. Public opinion holds that if there is any traditional ruler to be appointed, it is likely going to be Fo Angwafo III of Mankon.

As for the women, Regina Mundi and Patience Tamfu are the most talked about women. With Eno Emma Lafon already contesting for elections, these two female political giants’ public opinion holds can make good senators for the North West Region.

To start with, Regina Mundi is the lone female in the politbureau of the CPDM from the North West Region. She is a diehard and has an intellectual thoroughness that is very rare in women. Catapulting her to that level will certainly give her the opportunity to make her contribution to nation building.

Patience Tamfu is the daughter of the late statesman Hon. SN Tamfu. That apart, she has been able to build a reputation based on her devotion to the CPDM. She is a member of the national bureau of the CPDM and one of those who worked hard to implant the CPDM in the USA. Her ability to have a mastery of issues simply makes her one of the best woman for senate. She understands the ups and downs of the common man and since the senate is not a retirement home for retired civil servants, she is up to the task if President Biya decrees her for that job.

In fact judging from popular opinions, these women are the best that North West can offer for now.

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