By Doh James Sonkey
The Social Democratic Front (SDF) political party has excluded some 33 bigwigs from its ranks. The Group of 27 was excluded last February 25, 2023 during the last National Executive Committee meeting of the party that held in Yaounde and chaired by the National Chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi.
Reacting to the sacking after the declaration, SDF Senate candidate and list leader in the North West region, Senator Vanigansen Mochiggle said “if you look at the summons that was served from the court by them, it is actually ridiculous that the SDF National Chairman should cancel appointments that he carried out in his shadow cabinet. Those appointments are within the prerogatives of the National Chairman which is actually reinstated in the party’s constitution. You, Secretary General, the pivot of the party is actually criticizing his tenure of office inadvertently. So, you will not really know what they want. The only thing I can say is that when the National Chairman said I want to go, I am tired but I want that the party’s structures should be reorganized before the next convention, they were against it. Why can you be against the reorganization of party’s structures, because they are used to bringing fake voters, chartered voters to district conferences. So we want to stop that. We want a party that is firmly rooted on the ground so they were against the reorganization of party’s structures before the convention. I think that is the bottom line of the dispute.”
The NEC meeting took place in the absence of the 33 executives notably, the ex-regional president of the SDF for the Littoral region, Honourable Jean Michel Nintcheu, Paul Tchatchouang, the second national vice-Chairman, former secretary general, Jean Tsomelou, Jean Robert Wafo, former Minister of the Shadow cabinet in charge of information and media, Emmanuel Ntonga, regional president of the SDF for the center and his vice-president Parfait Mbvoum amongst others. These party members are accused of going against Article 8.2 of the party’s constitution which targets members who violate party rules in particular by committing offenses that violate the ideals of the party.
The party Chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi, First National Vice-President, Joshua Osih, the Secretary General of the SDF, Adeline Djomgang and fifty other party members unanimously decided to exclude members of the G27 group from the SDF party.
It should be recalled that on February 22 2023, during a press conference held in Douala, the G27 group noted they will not participate in the said meeting planned by the Chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi. They said their participation would mean that they have legitimized the anti-original SDF activities of the Chairman and co.
It should be recalled that the G27 blamed the National Chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi and the first National Vice President Hon. Joshua Osih for what they termed as self-interest and individualism.
Hon Jean Michel Nintcheu according to reports has been leading the opposition against Fru Ndi.
During their last Executive Committee meeting, he was dismissed from his position as Regional President of the SDF for the Littoral region. However, long before his dismissal, he had launched the G27 with other party executives in Mbouda.
This group had sued the National Chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi for non-compliance with the decisions taken at the last National Executive Committee meeting. According to them, the Chairman and Co. have continuously violated the party’s status, manifesto and constitution.
During their recent meeting in Douala, they announced that the legal actions taken against the party are still ongoing. The first hearing of the case is slated to take place on March 22 2023, at the Mfoundi High Court in Yaounde. This group headed by Honorable Jean Michel Nintcheu is known to have dragged the national chairman and the secretary General to court .
The famous G27 had earlier called for a boycotting of February 25 NEC meeting.This call fell on deaf ears as the quorum for the NEC meeting was formed with a 2/3 majority that permitted the holding of the session as stipulated by the party’s text.
List of those excluded
Hon Nkeze Emilia- Senator 2. Perfect Mbvoum – V.P Center Region 3. Emmanuel Ntonga – President Regional Center, 4. Hon Awudu Cyprien- Former MP, Former Quaestor at the National Assembly 5. Charles Kouasseu National Secretary for Interpretation, 6- Sukam Tchandjui Stone SW West, 7- Jean-Pierre Wanko, 8-Carlos Ngoualem – former Deputy Mayor Dla 5th, councilor to the urban community of Dla., 9- Hon Nji Tumassang – former MP, former president of the SDF parliamentary group in the National Assembly, 10- Fopoussi Fotso Evariste – former MP 11- Luc Ouandji – Municipal Councillor, Bafoussam 1st 12- Augustin Tatsinkem- First Deputy Mayor, Bafoussam 1st, 13- Arouna Mfam 14- Edmund Sadefo 15- Ngapna Abdoulaye 16- Sidiki Mohkong 17- Hon Jean Michel Nintcheu- MP and Regional President SDF Littoral, 18- Hon Paul Tchatchouang- 2nd National Vice President, former VP National Assembly, former VP Senate 19- Scholastique Major- 3rd VP SDF 20- John Kumase – Former Mayor DLA 4th NATIONAL SECRETARY FOR SDF ORGANIZATION, 21- Dénis Nkemlemo- National Secretary for Communication, 22- Emmanuel Yoyo- Former deputy/ quaestor at the National Assembly NATIONAL FINANCIAL SECRETARY
23- Hon Sonkin Étienne- Former mayor of Dschang, former senator. SDF NATIONAL TREASURER 24- Chantal Kambiwa- world vice president of socialist women. Regional Women’s Coordinator 25- Jean Tsomelu- Former MP, former senator and president of the parliamentary group of senators of the SDF, former SG SDF, 26- Jean Robert Wafo – former deputy mayor Douala 2nd, 27- Florent Tchangop West Regional President, 28- Siroma Aboubakar – former Senator. Regional President Adamaoua 29- Toko Raphaël President SDF France30- Cyrille Ngnang- Mayor Bafoussam 1st31- Mouaffo- 1st Deputy Mayor Bafoussam32-Ndive Kofele Kale.
Convention to hold July 25 to 27 in Yaounde
The National Executive Committee of the Social Democratic Front also decided to slate the elective National Convention of the party from July 25 to 27 in Yaounde. This decision was arrived at after the National Chairman had opposed its holding in October 2023 which was the date many were confortable with. Our sources said Mr. Fru Ndi seriously opposed pushing the date further because he was tired and is in a hurry to go and rest. Coincidentally July is his birth month.