Dread Article 8:2 Looms over Njinikom Mayor, Chah Bam Terence

The fate of the mayor of Njinikom council in Boyo Division of the North West Region is now hanging on a balance reports The Sun Newspaper. According to the news report, Chah Bam Terence, after his election as mayor has abandoned his party activities and is instead concentrating on the activities of the estates of Bobe Yong Francis where he is also worker. It is alleged that things came to a head on Friday June 7, 2014 in Buea when the SDF established and took note of his absenteeism. The National Executive Council-NEC during roll call established that Chah Bam Terence was not only absent but did not even sent any of his deputies to represent him.

Though North West Regional chairman, Hon. Njong Evaristus tried to take an excuse on his behalf on grounds that he was involved with the GCE exams, it rather made matters worst. SDF National chairman who was visibly enraged and pounded his fists on the table said the attitude of Chah Bam Terence was totally unacceptable. Ni John Fru Ndi is also quoted to have said that long before NEC was announced, the mayor cum GCE invigilator knew there would be GCE exams. The fact that the mayor did not assign one of his deputies to attend the Buea NEC meeting was prove that he was not collaborating with his deputies, Fru Ndi fumed.

Ni John Fru Ndi went further to point out that ever since Chah Bam Terence was elected mayor, he (Chah Bam) has developed a lukewarm attitude towards the party, especially NEC. After requesting that the mayor be marked absent, Fru Ndi went on to remind that four of such absentees clearly spell out their consequences, which means self exclusion from the party, popularly known as article 8:2. Hear him “ if Yong has died and the mayor is interested in seeing his business continue, he should also know that the SDF must continue, and we are not going to tolerate any such further indiscipline”.

Several days after the NEC meeting, sources inside the Njinikom council disclosed that Chah Bam Terence who is senior staff of PCHS Bamenda, part of the Yong Estates is already running the council like a boarding master, who would storm in at any time damning anybody who tries to call him to order.

The mayor,  the top council source is also quoted by newspaper report to have said that the mayor doesn’t collaborate with any of his deputies; talk less of other council staff. The most recent is rumours that the mayor contacted taxation officials to step up taxes on liquor in his municipality. Tension is now said to be brewing in the municipality over the issue. Allegations abound that the mayor dolled out FCFA 3 million to the SDF to grasp the top job without knowing that there is no money in the council. Yet it has emerged that the Njinikom council is heavily indebted and majority of these debts were accrued by the out-gone mayor. However, the SDF is particularly keen on the developments in the Njinikom council because of the dark memories of the 2014 senatorial elections which about 12 SDF councilors allegedly received colossal sums of money to vote for the CPDM. When senator Francis Nkwain who hails from Njinikom came out publicly to thank the SDF councilors during his homecoming for sending him to the senate. A thing the SDF has never taken it lightly. Reasons why party hierarchy has kept a very close watch over happenings in Njinikom for fear of the unknown.

With mayor Chah Bam Terence again on scan, fears are that this may be the beginning of another cataclysm in the area. Tongues are still waging as to why tension between the new SDF mayor and his party should begin brewing very soon after his predecessor, Chiatoh (alias Jesus Christ) was chased from the position for the same antiparty behavior. According to the news report, when contacted the mayor of Njinikom Cah Bam Terence said he is new is the office and did not know that mayors can delegate people to NEC. “I have pleaded with NEC. The chairman even called me to work with some fons. You know Pa Yong just died and I can’t abandon him; education and GCE is also for development”. To him, it is his detractors that are at work, “I know my enemies are also behind this”, he concluded.

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