The decision by Issa Tchiroma Bakary, President of the Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon (FSNC), a minor political party leaves the giant CPDM party neither hot nor cold.
The departure of Issa Tchiroma Bakary from the government and the rupture of his party’s alliance with the National President of the CPDM was a necessary evil. In fact, if alliances with the national president of the CPDM reinforced the victories of the CPDM in Presidential elections they could not in any situation be at the origin of its great successes and strong coverage of the entire national territory.
There is really no match between the CPDM and the FSNC which has never won a single council in Cameroon. It has just three Member of Parliament compared to the big CPDM which counts 360 councils, nine regions out of 10, one hundred and fifty-two MPs out of 180. Ninety-three Senators out of 100, thirteen City councils out of 14. The CPDM is followed by NUDP which has seven MPs, 17 councils, one region and one senator.
There is no denying the fact that the CPDM is a very strong party that has proven its worth. In 1992 it had eighty-eight (88) MPs at the presidential election, 40% of the total votes while the SDF which had gotten into a coalition termed union for change had 36%, the NUDP had 19%.
So, the CPDM competed alone against a coalition and won.
Be it the FSNC or NUDP, the CPDM which they think they are walking away from is mighty already. Such political allies don’t determine its victories. They are only an addition to a CPDM that already has its status.
Paul Biya a great States man, and an accomplished politician, president of the greatest political force in Cameroon is an open-minded person who loves to have every Cameroonian contribute their quota in nation building. His alliances with these political parties are beneficial to them not to the CPDM which helps give them exposure and acceptance. The FSNC, this is a party that came to light in 2007 following a clash with the NUDP party where Tchiroma was Member of Parliament.
No one should be deceived to think that these alliances the CPDM gets into are what enlarge its political influence or extends its roots in the country.
The FSNC, the NUDP are small party opted to join the CPDM, today they have opted out of the alliance; a welcome choice which adds nothing nor reduces from the CPDM.
Irene Aweneg
