CI-NEWS

February 9 municipal, legislative elections: ELECAM restates readiness

2019-11-19

No: 456

February 9 municipal, legislative elections: ELECAM restates readiness.

Since the convening of the electorate for municipal and legislative elections slated for February 9, 2020, there has been an all-out mobilization by different relevant stakeholders including the elections umpire, ELECAM, which has given fresh assurances that it will do all it takes to deliver free, fair and credible polls. President Päul Biya, it would be recalled, on Sunday, announced, through a presidential decree, that the twin elections which had been postponed twice will now take place early February. Following the development, not only ELECAM officials, but political party leaders, politicians and civil society actors, have been keeping themselves busy. In an interview granted state radio, CRTV, on Monday, 11 November, the Board Chairman of the Electoral Board of ELECAM, Enow Abrams Egbe, was categorical that the body is fully ready to handle all the exigencies expected as the February polls near. He said since they closed the electoral registers on August 31, they have been having sleepless nights trying to put every technical and material aspect in place ahead of the big task.

Much work already done

“We welcomed the Head of State’s convening of the Electoral College with a lot of serenity. We were even waiting for it. If you look at what the law says.

We cannot say that we are not ready. Before the convening of the electorate, a lot of work had already been done.

You would recall that we just had a recent board meeting after which board members went down to the field to evaluate the provisional lists. This was done in view of the elections that have just been announced. So, in a nutshell, Elections Cameroon is ready. We have a lot of electoral material in place all ready”, the ELECAM Board chair assured. He expressed optimism that despite the crisis in some parts of the country, the elections would go ahead.

His words:”if you look at the zeal with which Cameroonians registered for the elections, despite the socio-political crisis in the North West, South West Regions, and Far North Regions, we are convinced that elections will take place in these areas because there is the enthusiasm”.

On security concerns with regards to the Regions in crisis, the Board chair said: “We work very closely with the forces of Law and order. We know that security is assured by them and they are one of the key actors in the electoral process. Together, we hope that we can beat the challenge”.

Elections in ‘Peaceful Atmosphere ‘

He assured ELECAM staff of their security.

“Let them be assured that Elections Cameroon will do everything within its means to ensure that the elections are conducted in a peaceful atmosphere. Elections should be a factor that unites, not one that divides.” Enow Abrams further assured despite some shortcomings suffered by ELECAM in the organisation of the 2018 presidential election, much effort is being made to ensure that such irregularities do not show their ugly heads in the February 9 polls. “Rest assured all will unfold smoothly”, he said.

Meanwhile, in a separate interview, the Director General of Elections at ELECAM, Erik Essousse, said the body is ready for the February challenge. In the November 12 Cameroon Tribune interview, he stated that in the next three months, they’ll up their speed of finishing touches in order to get things set for upcoming twin polls.

Culled from Cameroon Insider

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February 9 municipal, legislative elections: ELECAM restates readiness