Competitive Entrance Examination into the Police Corps: CJA-Cameroon Frowns at Discriminatory Treatment of Anglophones

Commonwealth Journalists Association, CJA- Cameroon

Press Release

Shameful and Discriminatory Treatment of Anglophones at the Competitive Entrance Examination into the Police Corps

The Commonwealth Journalists Association, CJA Cameroon has observed in total disbelief, shock and consternation, manipulative steps taken to cheat and disqualify English Speaking candidates at the competitive entrance examination into the Police Corps in Cameroon, the written part of which was taken on Saturday the 28th of March, 2015.

While questions in the French Language were clear, concise and written in good grammar, those meant for candidates of English expression were presented in a language unfamiliar to the Anglo Saxon world. The net consequence of this was that the questions could not be understood and interpreted, making answers to them seemingly impossible even to those who shall eventually be examiners.

The question we ask is who can respond to an interrogation which reads thus; who shall represent each member of the National Assembly? Or worse still; who shall represent each Senator? And that is just the tip of the iceberg, as the entire question paper for inspectors of police was in a strange language.

This deliberate resolve to sideline Anglophones at the said examination is unambiguously demonstrated, as from the point go, the playground is not level for all participating candidates. At the end of it all, and without any element of surprise, there would be no Anglophones on the final list, a thing that is neatly desired and implemented.

This other incident is one provocation too many, coming after the IRIC saga where Anglophones are permanently set aside, the total Francophonisation of ENS/ENSET Bambili and the appointment of mainly Francophone judges to the North West Appeals Court where Common Law lawyers found themselves being forced to make submissions only in French.

CJA- Cameroon notes with dismay, that such separatist, tribalist and exclusionist measures are being taken at a time the country is faced with a common challenge of protecting our territorial integrity and when everyone is expected to show and enjoy a feeling of belonging to one nation with one objective which is working towards emergence by the year 2035.

CJA- Cameroon therefore calls on the powers that be, to without delay, cancel the said examination in the interest of national unity, social justice and peace which is indispensable in the economic and political development of our country, Cameroon.

Signed;

HRH Chief Foanyi Nkemayang Paul                    John Mbah Akuroh

President                                                              Secretary General

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What we observed in Nigeria’s election —EU, Commonwealth, NDI

Courtesy: (Christian Okeke-Abuja) Nigerian Tribune

The European Union (EU), Commonwealth and National Democratic Institute (NDI) observation missions on Monday gave accounts of what they observed during the last weekend’s presidential and National Assembly elections in Nigeria. 

EU stated that its observers saw no evidence of systematic manipulations, despite the fact that the process was said to be disordered and prolonged.

The Commonwealth said it was concerned with the tendency of some politicians, activists and party spokespersons, who resorted to highly emotive rhetoric, which could be regarded as incitement to violence.The NDI noted that security personnel, on the overall, played a positive and professional role in the majority of polling stations that the delegation observed. Briefing newsmen in Abuja, the EU chief observer, Santiago Fisas, noted that systematic weaknesses left the process open to abuse by political contenders.

According to him, there was misuse of incumbency by parties at federal and state levels, and escalated incidents of violence and intimidation. Santiago stated that excessive deference to judicial mechanisms for enforcement and corrective action risked protracted resolution. According to him, given the lack of possibility to run as an independent candidate, the Nigerian system of primaries overly excluded and concentrated unchecked power in the parties, thereby reducing the choices available to voters on election day and weakened the accountability function of elections.

He said: “EU experts observed parties establishing excessive non-refundable fees, subjective party criteria risking arbitrary application and parties not respecting the results of their own primaries.” Santiago went further to state that “issue-based campaigning was overshadowed by prevailing negative tactics, with escalating mutual accusations and fierce personal attacks. “There was also an increase in the use of religion, ethnic and sectional sentiments and appeals in the campaign with both parties accusing the other of dividing the nation on religious grounds.

“The growth in hate speech and violence took place, despite the signing of the Abuja accord on January 14 and comparable peace accords in all 36 states and the FCT,” he said. In his own briefing, the chairman of the Commonwealth observers, Bakili Muluzi, noted that the March 28 polls marked an important step forward for democracy in the country as the elections were generally peaceful and transparent despite the organisational and technical deficiencies.

He said “publicly-owned media outlets, especially broadcast media were clearly partisan. It was noted with concern that the flagship nightly television news on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) channel was completely dominated by reports of the incumbent party’s campaign rallies.“It is of concern that print and broadcast media were all too willing to publish and broadcast these lucrative adverts without censor by the regulatory authorities.” 

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Davido’s Uncle Wins Senatorial Seat In Osun State

Ace Musician Davido

A super wealthy family Indeed. Former governor of Osun State, Isiaka Adeleke has won the Osun West senatorial district, reports National Mirror. Adeleke, who is also an uncle to topnotch musician, Davido, contested under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The newly-elected senator, would be returning to the Senate for the second time, after winning in all the 10 local government areas of Osun West senatorial district. According to him, he was prepared, more than ever before, to render selfless service to the people of his senatorial district, saying he was not out to push personal agenda. Adeleke urged for the support of the Osun people for Governor Rauf Aregbesola at this sensitive time of economic downturn, stating that tough times do not last, but tough people do, adding: “All hands shall be put on deck to ensure, that workers’ salaries and pensioners allowances are paid as and when due.” Meanwhile, Davido is currently receiving backlash from his Kenyan fans for being too childish, too rude the organizers and full of himself. They said he was too drunk at the show, smoking too much weed. Those who were at the show say they were disappointed.

Read more at: http://dailytimes.com.ng/davidos-uncle-wins-senatorial-seat-osun-state/


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With 95% Polling Units Collated, SaharaReporters Projects Buhari As President-Elect SaharaReporters Say

Buhari leading

SaharaReporters is confidently projecting Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of last weekend’s presidential election based on collated poll results from 95 percent of Nigeria’s polling units. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will resume the official release of the poll figures at 10 a.m. Nigerian time today, with Mr. Buhari all but certain to be declared the president-elect.

Last night, INEC suspended the official release of the state-by-state vote counts for the keenly contested presidential election. However, with only five percent of votes remaining to be added up, our figures indicate that Mr. Buhari is leading incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan by more than two million votes. In addition, the APC candidate has secured at least twenty-five percent of votes cast in two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states. Mr. Buhari has so far won 14,855,820 million votes, with Mr. Jonathan trailing him with 12,107,628 million. 

Our analysis, based on collated votes that were already announced in different states, shows that there is no statistical pathway open to Mr. Jonathan to surmount his vote deficit with very few polling units left to account for.

INEC’s formal declaration of Mr. Buhari as the winner of the presidential election will represent a historic moment in Nigeria’s history, being the first time that an opposition candidate would unseat an incumbent head of government at the federal level. Another historic aspect is the fact that Mr. Buhari finally triumphed on his fifth run as a presidential candidate of one of Nigeria’s parties

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The Guardian Post National Award of Excellence: How Bamenda II Mayor Balick Awah Fidelis Won Big

Balick Awah Fidelis

One of the major challenges nationwide has been the capability of some elected officials to tackle development process in their sphere of influence. In 2014, the Bamenda II Council entered into record when the Minister of Territorial Administration personally inaugurated a magnificent edifice constructed by the mayor.  To grease this landmark achievement, the mayor of Bamenda II Council, Balick Awah Fidelis was recently honoured by The Guardian Post Newspaper as Best Mayor of The Year. This is so because Balick Awah has been able to delineate that politics is development and that alleviating poverty and miseries in rural areas is precedence of priority that makes politics and development bedmates. 

Life, they say is a combination of trials and tribulations but great people look beyond trials and tribulations. They look beyond the horizon that appears to be the end of the world and see other opportunities that nobody imagines can exist. And their interested act of dreaming, acting and realizing the dreams have positive multiplier effect on society. This is because they are born with talent and to make things happen, they combine talent with hard work and determination. The very essence of rural development is that you need to have vision since you can’t blow an uncertain trumpet. Nevertheless, innovation distinguishes between a great politician and a charlatan. 
Balick Awah Fidelis has proven beyond reasonable doubts to be a great developer. While at the helm of the Bamenda II Council he has taken development to the doorsteps of his people with the “Small Money Big Project Initiative” with councilors. But unlike ordinary visionaries who see far and remain on their original position, Mayor Balick does not wait on the spot for things to happen for his municipality. As a great lobbyist, he lobbied and obtained financial support from FEICOM, PNDP, GP DERUDEP and other partners in development to achieve his vision. The most interesting thing about this innovative mayor voted by readers of The Guardian Post as Best Mayor of the year is found in the knack that he has rumbles of serious innovative ideas that have kept afloat all development initiatives. For these reasons, Mayor Balick is succeeding where others have fumbled, stumbled and tumbled over. 

Rudyard Kipling, one of the finest English writers once said that “if you can keep your head when all around you are losing theirs and if you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat the two the same, yours is earth and everything that is in it”. This is a straightforward reality and in fact there is no doubt that Rudyard Kipling had this inspiration from the obstacles and barriers we often crush to get to prominence. In our contemporary society this statement could only be referred to one person, Mayor Balick. 

What is important about this award winning mayor is that he is innovative, down to earth and fertile in expedients. He falls within the ranks of the new breed of politicians born with extra abilities to surmount all sorts of barrier to emerge successful. If we go by Albert Einstein who declared that genius is 1/10 inspiration and 9/10 perspiration, Balick is a genius. This means that for somebody to be termed a genius that person must be a workaholic. In this light, Balick Awah merits to be mentioned first among development luminaries if not the story of North West politicians will remain unfinished. What is so interesting about this pragmatic mayor is that he has done extraordinary things in a very common way. 

 If has become a celebrity it is because he is doing extraordinary things and he is entering history books in great names: Meet him for a discussion then you will discover you have met an honest intellectual. The courage and the frankness he expresses tell you that he was naturally born a workaholic. It is this frankness, hard work and determination that have made him the most admired man of all men in action.

The Great Politician

John Quincy Adams says that if your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. Balick is a politician with exceptional leadership qualities. He has served the Social Democratic Front in various capacities. He is being remembered as one of the most vibrant District Chairman the SDF ever produced in Bamenda II. He planted the SDF in almost all the homes.  Being a great support of Ni John Fru Ndi and the SDF, Balick has distinguished self as a developer and career politician. In Mankon, they say he is the litmus test of what a politician ought to be. And since the final test of a politician is that he/she leads the young as their role model, Balick is actually youth emancipator who doesn’t talk about development politics in speeches but puts them into practice. In getting to where he is today and especially excelling in local politics, he toiled laboriously to transform vision into concrete reality. That is why today he is building common frontiers for all segments of society. In doing this, he followed the principle outlined by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow that ‘heights by great “men” reached and kept were not obtained by sudden flight but, while their companies slept, they were toiling upward in the night’.

The Result-oriented Mayor

Inauguration of Bda II Council chamber by Minister Rene Sadi

Those who have had the pains to visit the Bamenda II Council chamber would agree, Balick Awah is an exemplary man. The newly constructed edifice which was commissioned by the Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization is the best in the region. Even FEICOM Director was flattered the day of the inauguration to the point that he described Mayor Balick as a true manager in council activities. Minister Rene Sadi even advised other mayors to learn from Balick’s dynamism and workaholic nature. A major challenge in Cameroon is accountability and transparency. But Balick Awah on the contrary is hailed for being accountable, transparent and result oriented at the helm of Bamenda II Council. From Mankon to Mbatu down to Nsongwa, and Chomba, every community in the municipal has something to be proud of.  For being a mark of difference in the fight against poverty, Balick’s legacies are many ranging from the provision of potable water to construction of classrooms, market sheds, slaughter houses, community halls, health centers, farms to market roads, etc.

In fact The Guardian Post was absolutely right to have given him that distinction given that he has proven exceptionally that his being there at the helm of the Bamenda II Council was by merit and not a favour. He established a program aimed at supporting local initiatives and projects that are geared towards sustainable development. From all practical demonstrations, he is going into history books in big names: the development luminary, promoter of sustainable development, Best Mayor etc…Ever since he became mayor, the administrative account of the council has registered sanity and has also risen. 

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Mighty Storm Gathering in PCC As PC USA Embraces Homosexuality

By FC Ndi  with additional inputs from Examiner

PCC Hierarchy 

Less than a year after the creation of PCC Houston in the United States of America, the unexpected is said to have just happened. It is no more rumours that PCUSA has decided to embrace gay marriage. Homosexuality is not legal in Cameroon. President Paul Biya even made it clear in an interview in Paris after meeting with Francios Hollande. He said homosexuality remains a taboo in Cameroon. Yet, the PCC is reportedly wrapped in the most controversial issue of its existence in the USA. Allegedly, the issue is a hot potato in the hands of PCC hierarchy given that most of the funding/projects are sponsored from that end. It is not clear whether PCC hierarchy in Cameroon will issue a communiqué dissociating self the scandal. It should be recalled that that the out-gone Moderator Asana took part in the birth of the first ever PCC Houston on July 27, 2014 with over 400 Christians in attendance. Allegations abound that he rejected the change in constitution. The question of every lip is what then happened after Asana? Another question begging for answers is whether Fonki will succumb today?

According to the Examiner.com, the Presbyterian Church (USA) is extremely large. The story goes that PCUSA approved a change in the wording of its constitution to allow gay and lesbian weddings within the church, a move that threatens to continue to split the mainline Protestant denomination.

The 171 regional presbyteries (local leadership bodies within the PCUSA) have been voting on whether to change the wording to call marriage a contract “between a woman and a man” to being “between two people, traditionally a man and a woman.” Accordingly, the denomination reached its needed majority of “yes” votes from at least 86 presbyteries to take effect. The change will be included in the church’s “Book of Order,” part of its constitution, taking effect on June 21.

The church, which has more than 1.7 million members, voted last June to allow clergy to perform same-sex weddings. That vote gave clergy the choice of whether to preside over same-sex marriages in states where they are legal, an action which is now allowed in 36 states and the District of Columbia. Clergy will not be compelled to perform same-sex marriage.

Tuesday’s vote carries significance, writes Leslie Scanlon for The Presbyterian Outlook, because it will be much more difficult to reverse.

“Changing the constitutional language regarding the definition of Christian marriage would take the approval both of an assembly and a majority vote by the presbyteries,” Scanlon writes. “It also matters to many Presbyterians that their denomination is willing to put language affirming marriage equality directly in the denomination’s constitution.”

The vote comes amid a larger debate over whether gay marriage conflicts with Scripture and would cause more Presbyterian churches to break relations with the PCUSA. The church has lost 37 percent of its membership since 1992. Most of the congregations that depart opt to affiliate with either the Evangelical Presbyterian Church or a newer body called Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians. The formality of Tuesday’s decision could accelerate more departures.

Like other mainline denominations, the PCUSA has grappled with the issue as gay marriage has become legal in more states. In 2012, the church’s General Assembly narrowly voted to reject a proposal to redefine marriage as a union between “two people.” Many of the congregations that rejected the move in 2012 have since left the denomination.

The nation’s largest denominations, including the Roman Catholic Church and most evangelical churches, recognize marriage only as between a man and a woman. The Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the United Church of Christ allow same-sex marriage. The debate has roiled the United Methodist Church, another mainline denomination. Property disputes and litigation that have occupied the Episcopal Church in the past decade are now taking place among some Presbyterian 

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Why Hon. Njingum Musa Won The Guardian Post 2014 Award as Best MP

Hon. Njingum Musa

Hon. Njingum Musa was recently honoured by The Guardian Post Newspaper as the Best MP of the year. It was not by error. The award is the fruit of hard work, determination, development orientation and dynamism. Anybody who has never seen excellence incarnated in one person should go for Honourable Njingum Musa. Over the years, he has proven himself as an exemplary organized person and refined politician. As one of the prominent sons of Ngoketunjia and MP, his largess knows no boundary. Hon. Njingum Musa is a seasoned politician especially as one who preaches the politics of inclusion as prescribed by President Paul Biya. But unlike most intelligent people who are composed, Hon. Njingum talks only when it is necessary. As Representative of the people, Hon. Njingum knows the value of empowering youths, farmers and social cohesion which makes him a super achiever in 2014. With his accommodating nature, Hon. Njingum has attracted a lot of youths; women and farmers’ groups join in the battle to disenclaved his constituency. What makes him unique is that he has succeeded in blending politics and development.

Today’s glories, they say are the products of yesterday’s planning. Thus tomorrow’s better days are also the product of today’s planning. But do people ever plan for tomorrow? Most people do not, relaying on the adage that let tomorrow take care of itself. This is however a defeatist nature by those who are weak. That is why those who adopt this do not excel in life. But those who do are always able to draw a line from one cause to effect. This is certainly so because development has become a singsong on every lip and modern technology has placed humanity on a fast line. But on this fast line, many do falter especially the politicians.

One of those politicians who is leaving no stone un-turned in Cameroon for his constituency to emerge is Hon. Njigum Musa, the Member of Parliament for Ngoketunjia (Babessi sub Division and Ndop Central). Hon. Njigum Musa is Questor at the National Assembly. He is presently on his second mandate as the Representative of the people. With a very large constituency that covers two sub Divisions (Ndop Central and Babessi Sub Division), Hon. Njigum is constantly with his people. In fact, the image people very often cut of a politician is that of lies. But Hon. Njigum Musa has over the years proven that even though politicians are often referred to as people of the lie, there are still politicians of conscience and character. And he is one. Some people usually think that the work of a Member of Parliament is limited to voting laws and executing micro projects in bars, restaurants and snacks around Bamenda, Yaounde and Douala. Or that theirs is always to dish out empty promises. This is a very erroneous notion about politicians of conscience and character like Njingum Musa. The prologue indicators of this great political leader and development luminary are that he keeps to all his political promises and fulfils them one by one. His intervention in any

Career Politician

Hon. Njingum is a devoted militant of the CPDM and diehard supporter of President Paul Biya’s political ideologies. He is a heavyweight. The fact that he trashed Hon. Yoyo Emmanuel in the pools twice to go to Parliament is indicative. It happened in the 2007 and 2013 Twin elections. If the entire Ngoketunjia is now CPDM, it is thanks to Njingum Musa. As the brain behind CPDM, he could have decided like others to do the simple things, but because he believes like Lance Armstrong that ‘greatness is not a measure of how great you are but of how great others came to be because of you’, he decided embark on the disenclavement of his constituency using politics as a tool. Putting politics and development in one basket to sermonize the ideologies of the CPDM has put him into the minds of all and sundry. That is why as a pragmatic politician he is loved, admired and cherished by the poor, the middle class and the rich without any barriers. Today, he is scoring high for the CPDM because of that firm choice.

 What makes him the shinning political icon in the eyes of his people is that he is a politician with a vision who acts promptly. Vision and action are two cardinal ingredients for success and as the Japanese proverb hold: ‘vision without action is daydream; Action without vision is nightmare’. He neither daydreams nor entertains nightmares. This is because of his zeal to recreate passing through politics and knowing like Abraham Lincoln that ‘the best way to predict the future is to create it’; Hon. Njingum puts into CPDM vision the necessary ingredients that make him to succeed. 

Excellent Developer

Ngoketunjia as one North West political elite once observed is lucky to have Hon. Njingum Musa. Through his lobbying skills, government constructed schools, health centres, roads provided potable water for the people of Ndop Central and Babessi Sub Divisions. With the micro project grants he has impacted the lives of several youth groups, farmers groups and communities. Whenever two or more are gathered to talk development, count him present. Promoting the welfare of women and the education of the girl child is top on his agenda. Every farming season, he donates seeds to farming groups, youth groups and the entire farming population. Women in Ngoketunjia have him in high esteem given the support he gives every March 24^th to them. If you want to see a Member of Parliament who has used micro grants to carryout giant projects, Hon. Njingum is the right person. His achievements are many and speak by themselves. 

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Election Results: The Dangerous Part of Naija's Election Has Begun

 By Yinka Adegoke (Courtesy of Quartz)

Jonatthan and Buhari

After waiting in long lines around the country over the past two days to vote, Nigerians are engaged in another long wait—to find out who will lead their country for the next four years. Both incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan and challenger retired general Muhammadu Buhari claim early leads.

Collating of tens of millions of votes from around the country will officially start on Monday at 12pm local time, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The wait, of more than 48 hours after voting began, is causing tensions to rise. Voters in some areas of the country are worried that what has been a remarkably transparent process on the ground could be vulnerable to vote tampering at the national level. Unofficial results from some of the 120,000 polling units around the country have been posted on social media by polling volunteers keen on maintaining a transparent process. INEC now believes it will be able to announce the presidential results by Tuesday.

Agents from both Jonathan’s People Democratic Party (PDP) and Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC) claim early leads in what was always expected to be an extremely close election. APC is believed to have had a strong showing in Nigeria’s southwest region, which includes Lagos State, the most-populated of the country’s 36 states. In 2011 Jonathan won all of the southwest states except Osun.

Yet the PDP’s campaign publicity chief said on Sunday the president’s party was ahead in 23 states, with 64% of the vote.

INEC chairman Attahiru Jega, who has been under intense scrutiny, was quick to dismiss any announced results without his group’s imprimatur.

“I think you should be careful of such information from people that are partisan.Only INEC can declare winners,” Jega said in a Premium Times report.

Ultimately, the sooner results are announced, and Nigerians convinced the elections were fair and free, the better the chances the country has of avoiding violence and disruption.

The elections have so far been widely lauded as a success by both Nigerian and international observers including the United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon. Yet, the most dangerous period in Nigeria’s electoral process is right after results are announced. In 2011 more than 800 people were killed in post-election violence.

Millions of people waited patiently to cast their votes for hours due to delays caused by various technical issues. Most notable were difficulties with a new personal voter card reader technology, which prompted the embarrassing spectacle of president Jonathan being unable to vote initially on Saturday morning. INEC’s Jega acknowledged the hitches on national television.

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Breaking News: See Who is Winning in Nigeria's Presidential Elections, Senate

 Unconfirmed Results Allegedly from INEC

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

Buhari Set To Win Presidential Polls, But Jonathan’s Camp Claims Lead

Source: SaharaReporters

Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is cruising comfortably to victory in last Saturday’s presidential elections, according to official results released so far by collation centers of the Independent National Electoral Commission across Nigeria.

 Of more than 50 percent of the polling units reported, Mr. Buhari has received more than 64 percent of the votes and had won outright in at least twenty states. In addition, he has secured more than 25 percent of the votes in an additional five states.

Despite Mr. Buhari’s impressive showing, Femi Fani-Kayode, the spokesman of incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan’s reelection campaign,has just issued a statement today claiming that Mr. Jonathan was leading by up three million votes. Yesterday, Mr. Fani-Kayode had also claimed that President Jonathan had carried 23 of Nigeria’s 36 states, a claim that INEC chairman Attahiru Jega dismissed at a press conference as spurious.

“We wish to take this opportunity to make it clear to the Nigerian public that according to the figures made available to us, we are ahead in the presidential elections by at least two to three million votes.”

Mr. Fani-Kayode added: “We have our own Situation Room and we have collated all our figures from the various polling booths, wards, local government areas and states in the Federation.

“Despite the propaganda of the opposition, we are confident of victory. They and all other stakeholders can be rest assured that we will accept nothing less than the announcement of an election result that is truthful and that reflects the true will of the Nigerian people.”

Based on collated figures released by various INEC offices across Nigeria, Mr. Fani-Kayode’s statement is seen as reflecting a desperate effort to deny what observers view as the inevitable declaration of Mr. Buhari as winner of the presidential polls.

Going by the electoral law, the winner of the presidential polls is required to win the most popular votes in the country and at least 25 percent of the votes in at least 24 states.

Some of the key states already won by Mr. Buhari are Kano, Lagos, Borno, Sokoto, Adamawa and his home state of Katsina. The APC’s presidential candidate had also secured at least 25 percent of the votes in numerous states, including Imo State, in the southeast, and Plateau State.

A source at the European Union in Abuja told SaharaReporters that numerous member countries had appealed to President Jonathan to concede the election should it emerge that he lost it. International observers have expressed concerns about high percentage of votes allotted to President Jonathan in states like Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and some Southeast states where Mr. Jonathan scored votes in excess of 95% across board.

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West Region: British High Commission, MAHSRA, Administration, Traditional Rulers Agree to Stop Violence Against Women

Actors in the fight posed for pictures

By Ndemen JB

The project launching and signing of protocol agreements took place on Friday, March 27, 2015, in the Bafoussam City Council Hall, between the NGO, MAHSRA and a dozen traditional rulers of the Western Region. The project code names “The advocacy campaign against sexual violence” is expected to reduce and stop violence against women. The ceremony was chaired by the Secretary General at the Governor’s office, Simon Emile Mooh.  Speaking at the launching, Simon Emile Mooh said that he expects a strong involvement of the administrative and traditional authority in the eradication of all forms of violence against women.

For his majesty Soukoudjou Jean Philippe Rameau, the Paramount ruler of Bamendjou, it is not enough to sign the agreement for the sake of it. The initiative of this NGO is commendable. Fight against violence against women, is a good thing, but it has to become a reality. I am willing to communicate about the issue, and educate my community provided it is practically implemented, he concluded.

It is nevertheless recognized that these days, women are still exposed to all forms of violence, like genital mutilation, beatings in homes, rape, enforced prostitution, humiliation or including early or forced marriage. To the Secretary General, it is all about raising awareness about the dangers of these retrograde practices that relegates women and dehumanizes them. Simon Emile Nooh reminded traditional rulers of the relevant provisions of the Cameroonian contribution that advocates gender equality, both human rights in general and the rights of women in particular.

Paramount fon signing the agreement

 It should be noted that MAHSRA is recognized by Cameroon law and the Office of the United Nations Economic Council.  Hence the strong presence of all the paramount rulers of the MiFi, Bamboutos, the Kung-chi and others was indicative. Dr. Kelly Ngyah, CEO of the MAHSRA NGO created in 2006, recognizes that traditional rulers have a lot of influences on their populations. "Through them, the message will quickly pass and thus the lives of abused women will change. The rulers will defend the rights of women. Their commitment would just say that if people violate the rights of women, they will take legal action,” he said.

Under the initiative titled: Enhancing Local Leaders’ Capacities in Preventing Sexual Violence Against Women, the official public presentation ceremony that held on Friday the 27^th of March 2015 at the city council hall in Bafoussam, once more proved the organization’s commitment in transforming high level policy prerequisites into locally understood contexts and easily enforced measures. Under the distinguished patronage of the governor of the West Region, the occasion was graced by the presence of the deputy British High Commissioner to Cameroon Mme HALIMEH Allison Marriott, the senior divisional officers of Mifi, Bamboutos, Koung-Khi and Hauts Plateaux divisions, and over 14 paramount chiefs from the localities of Bafoussam, Bamougoum, Baleng, Balacthi, Bamessingue, Babadjou, Bagang, Baham, Bamendjou, Bameka, Bahouan; Bayangam, Bandjoun and Batoufam.

Citing the Cameroon government’s will as duly transcribed through its ratification of several international conventions such as: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR); the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW); the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women and the Declaration on the Right to Development, the CEO reminded the audiences and authorities present that as a legally registered entity both nationally and internationally and with a consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, MAHSRA had a duty to ensure that global growth objectives are transpired through experience-based interactive sessions between the targeted beneficiary victims and the responsibilities of their governing authorities.

Following the enumeration of gender violence acts such as rape, child abuse, defilement, incest, sexual abuse and exploitation, forced prostitution, sexual harassment, humiliation and confinement, female genital mutilation, underage and early marriages, the CEO pinpointed to the local leaders that with their leadership influence over their people, they have a duty to enlighten and ensure such people and women do not continue to suffer in ignorance meanwhile retarding the local development expectations of their communities. In so doing, he reminded them that they had a duty to uphold and enforce due legal accountability measures against the perpetrators of sexual violence acts against women and other illegal gender discriminatory practices.

On the part of the deputy British High Commissioner, she congratulated the efforts of MAHSRA and appreciated the local government and traditional authorities to have taken out time and engaged their voluntary consent to come together in unity to combat the sexual violence practices that are faced by the community women in their localities.

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

Les chefs traditionnels de l’Ouest signent un accord de plaidoyer contre la violence sexuelle faite aux femmes

Par Ndemen JB

VIPs et les chefs

La cérémonie a eu lieu le vendredi 27 mars 2015, dans la salle des actes de la communauté urbaine de Bafoussam, entre  l’ONG MAHSRA (Modern Advocacy Humanitarian Social and Rehabilitation Association) et une dizaine de chefs traditionnels de la région de l’Ouest. Cet accord de plaidoyer permettra de réduire, voir stopper des violences faites aux femmes. La cérémonie était présidée par le secrétaire général des services du gouverneur de la région de l’Ouest, Simon Emile Mooh. Le SG attend une forte implication de l’autorité administrative et traditionnelle, dans l’éradication de toute forme de violence envers les femmes.

Pour sa majesté Soukoudjou Jean Philippe Rameau, chef supérieur du groupement Bamendjou dans le département des Hauts-plateau, il ne suffit pas de signer cette convention pour le plaisir de le faire. « Nous ne voudrons plus de la théorie, comme ça se passe très souvent au Cameroun. L’initiative de cette ONG est louable. Lutter contre les violences faites aux femmes, est une bonne chose, mais il faut que ça devienne une réalité. Je suis prêt à communiquer autour de la question, et sensibiliser ma communauté. Pourvu que tout ceci soit pratique. » Précise sa majesté.

Representant Haute Commissaire

L’on reconnait tout de même que de nos jours, les femmes sont encore exposées à toute forme de violence, à l’instar des mutilations génitales, les bastonnades dans les foyers, le viol, la prostitution forcée, l’humiliation ou encore le mariage précoce ou forcé. Pour le SG de la région de l’Ouest, il est question de sensibiliser l’opinion publique sur les dangers de ces pratiques rétrogrades, qui relègue les femmes en seconde zone. Simon Emile  Nooh rappel des dispositions pertinentes de la contribution camerounaise qui prône l’égalité de sexe, tant sur le droit de l’homme en général et le droit de la femme en particulier.

 L’ONG MAHSRA reconnue par la loi camerounaise et le bureau du conseil économique des nations unies est descendue à l’ouest  pour plaider la cause des femmes et solliciter le pouvoir traditionnel qui a une influence indéniable sur les populations. D’où la forte présence des chefs supérieurs venus des départements de la Mifi, des Bamboutos, du Koung-khi et des hauts-plateaux de l’Ouest. Le docteur Kelly Ngyah, PDG de l’ONG MAHSRA créée en 2006, reconnait que les chefs traditionnels ont beaucoup d’influences sur leurs populations. « A travers eux, le message va vite passer et ainsi la vie des femmes violentées va changer. Les chefs vont défendre les droits des femmes. Leur engagement voudrait tout simplement dire qu’au cas où des gens violent les droits des femmes, ils vont prendre des mesures légales, » a-t-il précisé.                     

les engagement du chefs

Reconnaissant la pertinence du sujet sur les violences faites aux femmes, ils ont donc signé ces accords des plaidoyers pour éradiquer, sinon réduire à leur plus simple expression toute sorte de violences faite aux femmes. Dans cette action de lutte contre ces violences faites aux femmes et de promotion des droits de l’homme, le haut commissariat de grande Bretagne au Cameroun compte jouer une partition très salutaire, ceci à travers des appuis multiformes. Ce qui a d’ailleurs justifié la présence de l’adjointe du Haut-commissaire de Grande-Bretagne au Cameroun à cette cérémonie. Une cérémonie couronnée par la remise des médailles et de trophée aux femmes ayant joué une rencontre de football dans le cadre de la sensibilisation des populations.

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

Nigerian Elections Updates: INEC Officials Arrested Over Electoral Offense Allegations

Source: Sahara Reporters

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Zone 10 Police Command in Sokoto disclosed that 6 suspects were arrested by police on allegations related to electoral offenses in Zamfara.

Those arrested include officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and party agents.

According to Hassan, the suspects were arrested on Saturday during elections in the Maradun Local Government.

He commended the people in the state for the relatively peaceful elections and ensured that the police in the zone would promote credible elections in accordance with the Electoral Act.

He stated that “So far so good, we have not recorded any political violence” and that “We will continue to provide a peaceful environment through effective security measures that will enable eligible electorate to exercise their civic responsibility.”

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

BREAKING: Latest Unconfirmed Election Results

Source: SaharaReporters

The latest unconfirmed poll results. More results will be shared once verified.

BORNO STATE: Unit, 050 Maiduguri Borno state Presidential:
President
APC 422,
PDP 7
 
Senatorial:
APC 389
PDP 37
 
Representatives:
APC 394
PDP 3
 
JIGAWA STATE: Kudai Gabas Dutse PU
PDP 21
APC 576
 
JIGAWA STATE: Kasarau 3pu in Dutse Jigawa presidential
PDP 16
APC 536
 
JIGAWA STATE: Takur addu'a in Dutse Jigawa
Presidential
APC: 287
PDP: 34
 
KOGI STATE: Nigeria 2015 Polls Result Updates: In Kogi, At Jakura Unit in Lokoja Ward A
Reps:
APC- 172
PDP-120
LP- 15
 
KOGI STATE: Nigeria 2015 Polls Result Updates: In Kogi, At Jakura Unit in Oworo. Kogi West –
Senate
APC- 113.
PDP-23.
AP- 12
 
KOGI STATE: Nigeria 2015 Polls Result Updates: From Polling Unit 002 Koto-karfe Town, Ukwo Ward,
Presidential
APC: 313
PDP: 8
 
KOGI STATE: Presidential election: Okene LG, Kogi state, Idoji ward, Unit 4.
APC - 128
PDP – 4
 
KOGI STATE: Holy trinity unit lokoja. Kogi west.Senate result
Ap. 9
Pdp.4
Apc.53
 
KOGI STATE: Nigeria 2015 Polls Result Updates: In Kogi, From Koto Karfe - Polling unit 001 - Presidential –
APC: 242
PDP: 86
 
KOGI STATE: Nigeria 2015 Polls Result Updates: In Kogi,At GRA Polling Unit in Idah –
Senator Ahmadu Ali, DG of PDP Campaign Council's PU-
 
Presidential
APC- 173
PDP- 128
 
KOGI STATE: Zango polling unit
 
APC 371
PDP 31
 
Senators:
APC: 294
PDP. 96
 
Reps:
APC 296
PDP: 82
 
KOGI STATE: TURAKI: Kundila presidential PU 019
APC 289
PDP 3
 
KOGI STATE: PU 021
APC 150
PDP 3
 
KOGI STATE: PU 022
APC 472
PDP 19
 
KOGI STATE: PU 023
APC 239
PDP 4
 
KOGI STATE: PU 024
APC 326
PDP 12
 
KOGI STATE: PU 025
APC 239
PDP 4
 
KOGI STATE: PU 026
APC 362
PDP 12
 
KANO STATE: Bayero university Kano
Reps-:
APC = 113
PDP =23
 
SEN:-
APC =108
PDP = 23
 
PRESIDENT
APC =139
PDP =7
 
KANO STATE: PU 003 Kawo ward
 
President
APC 346
PDP 4
 
Senator
APC 346
PDP 5
 
Reps.
APC 331
PDP 61,
 
KANO STATE: UNIT 22 shekarau(MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND PDP LEADER AT KANO UNIT)
Reps...
APC 122
PDP 21
 
Senate
APC 130
PDP 21
 
President
APC 137
PDP 10
 
KANO STATE: PU NUM 065
 
PRESIDENT,
APC=303,
PDP=16
INVALID=2
 
SENATE,
APC=268
PDP=47
INVALID=6
 
HOUSE OF REP,
APC=270
PDP=38,
INVALID=13
 
 
KANO STATE: RASE COURSE.KANO BOX NUM 065, TOTAL VOTE 321,
PRESIDENT,
APC=303
PDP=16
INVALID=2
 
SENATE,
APC=268
PDP=47
INVALID=6
 
HOUSE OF REP,
APC=270,
PDP=38,
INVALID=13
 
LAGOS STATE: Result in OSHODI/ISOLO LGA in LAGOS P.U 032 - presidency –
PDP 102
APC - 93,
 
Senate –
PDP - 97
APC – 99
 
House of rep
PDP - 102
APC 95.
 
LAGOS STATE: P.U 005 Presidency –
PDP -67
APC- 76
 
House of Rep –
PDP -64
APC -71.
 
LAGOS STATE: P.U 006. Presidency –
APC – 58
PDP – 69
 
Senate - PDP -66
APC-78
 
House of Rep-
PDP-63
APC-53
 
LAGOS STATE: P.U 003.
Presidency
PDP 67
APC-92
 
Senate
PDP-69
APC-93
 
House of Rep-
PDP- 63
APC-96
APGA-1
Void- 5.
 
 LAGOS STATE:P.U 004. president
PDP-60
APC-32
 
Senate
PDP- 69
APC-32
 
House of Rep
PDP-66.
APC-33.

ENUGU STATE: Onitcha PU1
President
PDP 213
APC12

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