By Doh James Sonkey
The Director General of Elections at Elections Cameroon, ELECAM, Dr Erik Essousse has called on political parties, electors to go to ELECAM Council Branches, Cameroon Embassies and Consular Posts abroad not later than November 10, 2024 to verify these registers and in case they notice any irregularities or omissions, contact the Revision Commission or, where possible, the competent Divisional Supervisory Commission to ensure that these are corrected before the publication of the national register of voters, not later than December 30, 2024.
Dr Erik Essousse was speaking last October 23, 2024 at ELECAM Head Office in Yaounde as he granted a press briefing.
He said the “irregularities may involve biographic and biometric elements. Biographic elements include family names, surnames, date and place of birth, as well as the occupation, residence of every elector while biometric elements concern fingerprints and photo of the elector. These different elements serve to distinguish each elector when processing the register of voters with a view to render it credible and reliable.”
The Director General of Elections pointed out that the revision of electoral registers is an operation carried out by a joint and inclusive Commission that include not only ELECAM, but also other stakeholders like the Administration, Municipal Councils, and political parties and is validated by a procedure report signed by all the members. Similarly, ELECAM works within the framework of the law with stakeholders of the electoral process who equally take part in the regional and national platforms for dialogue put in place by the Electoral Board.
Dr Erik Essousse advised “controversy professionals would do better to comply with the law and to petition revision commissions, instead of submerging the media with unfounded recriminations.”
He however said this form of contact usually takes place every year under suitable conditions as is the case now after the press release published by the Director General of Elections last October 16, 2024 announcing the availability of provisional electoral registers in ELECAM council branches.