Cameroon: Ni John Fru Ndi, leader of the SDF party, is prosecuted.
Cameroon: Ni John Fru Ndi, leader of the SDF party, is prosecuted.
Cameroon: Ni John Fru Ndi, leader of the SDF party, is prosecuted. On July 23, 2022, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) made several decisions which are now being challenged in the High Court of Mfou in the Center region.
32 plaintiffs filed a complaint for the annulment of these decisions, which were validated by President Ni John Fru Ndi. They point out that the resolution that all officials who missed the process of renewal of party organs lose their right to participate in elections is contrary to the statutory provisions of the SDF.
Article 7 of the SDF statutes states that "Any member financially in good standing with the party and who is an active member shall be entitled to be a voter in any election and shall be eligible for any position or office within the party. ". The plaintiffs argue that this resolution is a ploy to prevent MP Jean Michel Nintcheu from being a candidate to replace Fru Ndi at the head of the party.
The court was also seized to settle the debate concerning the audit of the party's accounts. The plaintiffs want a chartered accountant to be appointed, but this proposal was rejected by the camp which remains loyal to Ni John Fru Ndi.
Furthermore, the aggravation of the situation is due to Fru Ndi's decision to form a new Shadow cabinet, which, according to the complainants, would violate party texts. The statutes provide that the members of the Shadow cabinet must be appointed after consulting the office and evaluating their knowledge of the party and their experience as party activists.
The 32 plaintiffs consider that this provision has not been respected and accuse Fru Ndi of co-opting into the firm people who have never been active in the SDF before, such as the lawyer Agbor Kongho Felix. It is now up to the court to decide between the two parties before the holding of the elective national congress scheduled in a few months.
Rescinding the resolutions made at the July 23, 2022 National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting is requested by more than 32 plaintiffs. They filed a complaint with the High Court of Mfou in the department of Mefou and Afamba, Center region, to annul several decisions validated by the president of the party Ni John Fru Ndi.
The plaintiffs claim that the resolution of July 23, 2022 contradicts the statutory provisions of the Social Democratic Front (SDF), according to which "any member financially in good standing with the party and who is an active member has the right to be an elector in any election and is eligible for any position or office within the party”.
The move is seen as a ploy to prevent MP Jean Michel Nintcheu from standing to replace Fru Ndi as party leader, as he is seen as having grassroots support and able to beat MP Joshua Osih, seen as the potential successor to Fru Ndi.
The dispute also escalated when Fru Ndi formed a new Shadow cabinet, which the plaintiffs consider a violation of the texts of the parts.
The plaintiffs argue that members of the Shadow cabinet should be appointed by the party's national chairman after consultation with the bureau, in order to assess their knowledge of the party and their experience as party activists. They accuse Fru Ndi of co-opting people into the firm who have never been active in the SDF before, such as lawyer Agbor Kongho Felix.
Finally, the court is also seized to resolve the debate concerning the audit of the accounts of the party, the plaintiffs wishing that a chartered accountant be appointed to carry out this audit, which was rejected by party members loyal to Ni John Fru No. It is now up to the court to settle the disputes between the two camps before the holding of the elective national congress scheduled in a few months.