Campaigns for the September 30 twin elections were launched Sunday September 15 in Bamenda, with the call for all militants of the Cpdm to work as one for the victory of the party in the North West region.
By midday Sunday 15 September 2013, date slated for the official launch of campaigns, the Bamenda congress hall was timidly filled with militants of the Cpdm, clad in the party’s fabric.
As the clock ticked towards 1:00 pm, the hall gradually filled up as men, women, youths and sympathizers of the party thronged in, some taking their places while others stood in little groups chatting away. The sounds of sirens at exactly 1:00 pm announced the arrival of Prime Minister Philemon Yang, president of the regional campaign team. His entrance signaled the beginning of serious business.It was after the refrain of the national anthem and a word of prayer for God Almighty to take the day’s activity into His care, that the divisional campaign team leader for Mezam centre, Atanga Nji Paul took to the rostrum to welcome the regional campaign team leader as well as Cpdm militants to the grand rally. Recalling the party’s performance during the 2007 elections, he said the Cpdm must do better in 2013. He added that, the victory of the people’s party in the region was “a moral commitment, a collective challenge and a political obligation”.
He declared the determination of the people of the North West region to eat with President Paul Biya on the same table, noting that development could only come to the region through state institutions. According to Atanga Nji Paul, the militants were bent on reversing the errors of 2007, while affirming the total and unflinching support of all the militants to the national Chairman, Paul Biya.The North West campaign team leader Prime Minister Philemon Yang did not mince words when he referred to the Cpdm as a fruitful mango tree under which the North West had fetched so many fruits, unlike to the Sdf which was a “barren mango tree” which had to be discarded of. The University of Bamenda with its numerous schools, the ring road under construction, the 20 mega watt thermal plant, the rehabilitation of the Yaounde- Bamenda road, the increase of the public investment budget for the region which stood at 99 billion in 2013 were reasons enough for the militants and sympathizers to cast their vote in favour of the Cpdm. Worthy of note is the fact that projects like the Menchum damn in Befang, as well as Katsina Ala in Furu Awa will go a long way to stimulate the growth of the region thanks to the role of the Cpdm run government.
While stating the importance of the forthcoming elections, Philemon Yang said it was the time to make the right choices for this was the opportunity to conquer legislative and municipal powers which were evidence of any dynamic democratic process. The mission of the Cpdm during this election therefore, is to move from 9 parliamentary seats to 20 and from 18 municipal councils, to 34 in the region.
All these would be achieved thanks to team spirit which he enjoined all to adopt. His comparison of politics to a football game was clear indication that victory was for the team and not an individual. He called for door to door campaigns that targeted registered voters and not big rallies in market places with people who had not even registered. While enjoining the militants to judiciously use the funds provided for by elite of the region to boost campaigns, Philemon Yang beckoned on team leaders to show proof of maturity and above all transparency. The divisional and council campaign teams were installed with a call for them to commence work as soon as they got to their localities in order to make hay while the sun shun.It was an occasion for an illustrious son of the region, Fai Yengo Francis to give out the practical modalities on voting, stressing that militants had to be more than ever before vigilant.
“The duality of the elections meant that the militant has to vote twice” he said, while laying emphasis on the vigilance of polling officers who were to safeguard the interest of the party at their various work posts. Meanwhile, earlier in the day, female leaders of the Cpdm had met in a seminar to sensitize them on their various actions during this period. Knowing their importance during such political events, the women declared victorious all the lists which had respected the 30 per cent gender quota. The rally was attended amongst others by Senator Simon Achidi Achu, Fon Angwafor III, members of the political bureau of the party as well as other state authorities.
