Senatorial elections:
CPDM blows opposition ‘out of the water’
- Set to make clean sweep of all 70 elective seats
- Will Biya bring in other colours in the 30 to be appointed?
- Atanga Nji, ELECAM hail peaceful, serene polls
- Unofficial results in South West indicate 100 percent vote in all six divisions
- No upsets by SDF in NW and NUDP in Adamawa
By Norbert Wasso Binbe with reports from Doh James Sonkey in Yaounde, TAC in Kumba and Simon Ndive Kalla in Limbe
For the first time since the Senate came into being in 2014, the ruling party, the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM, is set to grab all 70 elective seats if field results are confirmed the the elections management body, ELECAM and the Constitutional Council.
While the opposition, the Social Democratic Front, SDF was in contention in the North West, its one council with 25 councillors against CPDM’s 32 councils was a vert steep climb for the green and white party whose seven gladiators battled hard on the field. It should be noted that the SDF had won the seven seats in the North West in 2018 even though they had slightly fewer councilors.
However, the 2020 legislative and municipal elections were a disaster for the SDF as many of its electorates had fled their constituencies due to the raging conflict between government forces and separatists’ fighters.
Observers were looking keenly at the contest in the Adamawa. In 2020 the National Union for Progress and Development of Minister of State, Bello Bouba Maigari had the majority of councilors. But a few months to the elections a swathe of NUDP militants decamped to the ruling CPDM tilting the balance in favour of President Biya’s party, the CPDM.
Observers and pundits have now focused their attention on President Paul Biya to see what he will do with the thirty seats the constitution gives him the power to appoint.Is he going to appoint only those of the presidential majority or he is going to add real opposition members?
Atanga Nji hails peaceful, serene polls
The Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji has declared that the election of Senators of last March 12, 2023 took place in a peaceful and serene atmosphere in all the electoral constituencies.
Administration Minister, Atanga Nji Paul
In a declaration at the close of the polls, Minister Atanga Nji said “More than 3,000 national and international observers were accredited by the Ministry of Territorial Administration. They travelled across all the ten Regions of the country, and we hope that they will produce objective reports on the conduct of this election which, in our opinion, was free, transparent and credible.”
“As Government agent in the electoral process, the Ministry of Territorial Administration took appropriate measures to provide Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) with the security framework needed for the smooth running of the polls. As of now, no major incident has been reported in any of the 58 divisions of the country likely to affect the credibility of the results when they shall be proclaimed by the competent institution.” Explained the MINAT boss.
The Minister explained that “In compliance with Decree No. 2023/023 signed on 13 January 2023 by the President of the Republic, H.E. Paul BIYA, the election of Senators held in all the 58 divisional headquarters of Cameroon. According to the provisions of Law No. 2012/001 of 19 April 2012 on the Electoral Code, amended and supplemented by Law No. 2012/017 of 21 December 2012 and Law No. 2019/005 of 25 April 2019, polling stations opened at 8am and closed at 6pm.”
He said it is undeniable evidence that the Senate is a strategic institution that plays its role in a Cameroon that is resolutely committed to its emergence under the enlightened leadership of His Excellency Paul BIYA, President of the Republic, Head of State.
Minister Atanga Nji disclosed that “Furthermore, the heated electoral campaign that we experienced is a sign of the full commitment of Cameroonians to the decentralization policy prescribed by the Head of State, H.E. PAUL BIYA. In terms of administration, the supervision of the electoral process ended at 6pm with the closing of polling stations.”
The Minister concluded by calling on all political parties that ran for this election to wait for official results and welcome them in a spirit of fair play and political maturity.
Dr Erik Essousse satisfied
The Director General of Elections at Elections Cameroon, ELECAM, Dr Erik Essousse who, during the day was at the Government Bilingual Primary School Bastos in Yaounde to oversee the holding of the polls in the nation capital, says he is satisfied with the conduct of last March 12, 2023 election of Senators in Cameroon.
DG of Elections at ELECAM, Dr Erik Essousse with some election observers at Bastos
In a post polls declaration, he said “today’s polls for the election of Senators took place under the right conditions in all the Divisional headquarters of the ten regions. 11,134 senatorial electors made up of 843 regional councilors and 100,72 municipal councilors were expected in the 198 polling stations that opened at 8am and closed at 6pm. In conformity with the legal provisions, election materials and anti-COVID19 were available in the polling stations. The local polling commissions chairpersons and members were present at the polling stations to make sure that the votes of senatorial electors were conducted smoothly in an atmosphere of serenity and calm in conformity with the law and in strict respect of the COVID19 preventive measures prescribed by the government throughout the country.”
Dr Erik Essousse further declared that “No major incident was reported during the vote. Immediately after the close of the polls at 6pm, the local polling commissions will count the votes and fill the election reports in conformity with the legal provisions. After which, the local polling commissions will record the votes of each polling station in their election report which their members will sign them and the reports will be forwarded to the different regional supervisory commissions which will then centralize compiled votes and verify the votes counting operations at regional level. The National Commission for Final Counting of Votes will then take over to do the final counting of the votes received from the different regional supervisory commissions. And finally, the Constitutional Council will proclaim the results of the election of Senators within the deadline prescribed by the law.”
The DG of Elections at ELECAM used the occasion to express his satisfaction for the successful preparation and material organization of this election.
He congratulated the personnel of ELECAM for their commitments since the beginning of this process and members of the Electoral Board for their electoral supervision. He also thanked all the stakeholders of the electoral process who assisted ELECAM in this stage of electoral process. Dr Erik Essousse expressed gratitude to political parties, the administration, Forces of Security and Defence, to the media and civil society organizations, to the chairpersons and members of the local polling commissions and to the accredited national and international election observers. While he concluded by thanking government for its goodwill in putting at the disposal of ELECAM the means for the organization of these polls, the Elections boss wished “good luck to all candidates and may the best wins.”
Continue to rally behind President Biya for Fako to always be the limelight -Minster NalovaLyonga
The Minister of Seconday Education who also doubles as the Interim Divisional Campaign Chair for the CPDM senatorial candidates Pauline NalovaLyonga urged electorates of the March 12, 2023 senatorial elections to continue to rally behind the Head of State President Paul Biya so as to keep Fako Division on the limelight. She went on to thanked miltants of the party for voting 100% senatorial elections.
Minister Nalova was speaking at Atlantic Beach Hotel few minutes after the vote counting exercise from the polling stations.
Minister Nalova indicated that the 100% vote is an indication that Fako always sets the pace. She went on to call on all present to rally behind the Head of State so that Fako will continue to be on the limelight.
It should be noted that the elections started Fako Division at Government High School Limbe which had four polling center at 8am and ended at 6pm which was heavily militarized and equally the town was not full of people in it capacity as the separatist fighters launched a two days Ghost Town to destabilized the election process.
At the end of the election the following results were recorded at GHS Limbe Poll A 60/60 Poll B 59/59, Poll C 60/60 and poll D 59/59
Speaking to the press HRH Chief Woka Ndive Ngale I said Fako people are expecting those they have voted as senators to lobby for social amenities for the region so that there should be rapid growth in the Division.
Speaking shortly at the end of voting exercise, Senator Mbella Moki Charles said he is very elated and thankful to God for a free and fair elections in South West Region.
He added that the Head of State President Paul Biya has a special attention to South West Region in terms of infrastructural development, human capital development and considerations in his administration since he became President of Cameroon.
“As a person this victory challenge me to do better than I have done before. It’s a call to service, that’s why I will always make a promise to serve the people with love and integrity and service to my country”,
“It’s a reflection that South West Region has chosen the right path of peace and stability and continuity” Senator Mbella Moki stated.
On his part, Senator Lionel Papinatu Fonderson said; every candidate who goes into an election nourishes the zeal to win, until the election results are proclaimed your anxiety stays quite high no matter how confident you are”,
“Once you’re declared victorious, there comes a lot of relief accompanied by joy, excitement in some cases euphoria. All the glory to God Almighty for watching over our electors.
Senators FondersonPapinatu and MbellaMoki pose with jubilant crowd
Senator Mbella Moki reacts
I am Senator Mbella Moki Charles, a Senator from the South West region. It is a great honour for me, a humbling experience to have been part of the Upper House of Parliament in my country. The Senate as you know is there, to refine legislation that has been treated by the Lower House of Parliament. It is one of the institutions in our constitution to complete the democratic process in our country. It is important that its constitution is basically that of men and women who have enormous experiences and have been tried and tested in various areas of life. So, it is strongly situated in the past history of our country. It is useful in our country as far as law making is concerned.
What balance sheet can you make of the last two mandates with regards to the impact of the institution on the nation, most especially the people at the grassroots.
We have accompanied the government in maintaining stability in this country, ensuring continuity and of course upholding State institutions. We have put government under check, we have enabled the Head of State, H.E President Paul Biya in conducting the democratic process that is still ongoing. On a very personal note, I have accepted to go to the Senate. I have represented the people who voted me in articulating their plights, in upholding the dignitary and culture of the people I represent. That is to say, while in the Senate I have come out with strong points that have to do with the wellbeing and survival of our people. The response I got when I announced my candidature is testament of the position I have taken at the Senate and the work I have been doing for my electorate at the Senate.
What are the stakes of this senatorial election in the South West dominated by the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM party?
Well it is true that the South West region is dominated by the CPDM. It is also true that the South West also has a pretoria of challenges that are facing the region at a time like this. Topical amongst them is the ongoing Anglophone crisis which I think any opinion leader, political leader
Otte Andrew emerges big in Meme
The unofficial results of Sunday’s March 12 2023 senatorial elections in Meme, indicates that incumbent Senator Otte Andrew Mofa, of the ruling Cameroon People Democratic Movement, CPDM, emerges big with a 100% score.
As early as 8 am the three polling stations of the Community Development Specialisation Training School, CDSTS, was declared opened for voting by the Meme Divisional Chief of Elections Cameroon, ELECAM Gabby Lyowe , in the presence of some accredited National Observers for the 168 voters including municipal and Regional councilors drawn from the five councils that make up Meme Division.
Voting went on unperturbed despite calls from separatists for total boycott as the administration had put in place security measures. Voting ended at exactly 6 pm as prescribed by the law
The counting was conducted in the various polling stations in the presence of the Meme SDO, Chamberlain Ntou’ou Ndong, the President of the South West Regional Assembly, Bakoma Elango, the Members of Parliament of Kumba Urban and Meme West Constituencies, Hon Bakia Lawson and Ekole Peters respectively, and the Head of the CPDM Central Committee, HRH Chief Justice Benjamin Itoe.
In Polling station A, the Chairman of the polling station Justice Collins Ngajong announced that that all the 56 voters casted their votes in favour of their candidate and party thus 100% ,in Polling station B the chairman of the station Magistrate Ankwette Julie, affirmed that 56 voters in the station voted overwhelmingly for the CPDM and their candidate thus 100% and in polling station C out of all the 55 voters voted overwhelming for the lone party and candidate thus 100%.
The winner incumbent Senator Otte Andrew Mofa, remained grateful to the councilors for their sign of trust, political maturity and the respect for party discipline as they all casted their votes thus recording 100% for the lone CPDM list in the region head by Senator Tabetando Ndieb- Nso. The CPDM section president for Meme II in Mbonge, Senator Otte Andrew Mofa, hinted to the press, the elections is coming at a time when the implementation of Decentralization is already gaining steam and they are poised fast track the process. Senator Otte Andrew Mofa, it should be noted is going in for the third mandate since 2014. He is presently the Questor of the Upper House of Parliament.
The President of the South West Regional Assembly, Hon Bakoma Elango, who was voting for the first time, said it was a wonderful privileged for him to have fulfil his civic obligation by casting his vote. He was even more relax because the councilors respected instructions from the party by voting 100% for the party and their lone candidate in the Division.
This same expression was corroborated by the Kumba City Mayor and Mayor for Kumba I Council, Gregory Mewanu and Barrister Eseme Moses Esembe.
Senator Otte Andrew expressing gratitude after his landslide victory to the press.