CI-NEWS

9 February 2020 twin polls: Triumph of abstention!

2020-02-11

No: 470

9 February 2020 twin polls: Triumph of abstention!

SDF suffers crushing defeat; Cabral Libii’s PCRN in the ascendant;

UNDP emerges as second best in Parliament but falls short of parliamentary group

The most outstanding feature of last Sunday’s twin polls was the high abstention rate across the national territory. Calls for boycott by Prof. Maurice Kamto’s MRC and the lockdown in the two Anglophone regions declared by separatists largely contributed to the low voter turnout nationwide. Elections Cameroon is yet to come out with the official figures, but a snapshot of turnout in polling stations in towns like Bamenda, Kumbo, Douala, Yaounde and Bertoua indicate an average abstention rate of more than 50 percent.

The high abstention rate took its toll on the performance of some parties. Trends show that the greatest casualty in this state of affairs is the SDF, while the biggest winner is the ruling CPDM. Unofficial results published on line show that the SDF suffered a crushing defeat in its traditional North west fief where it succeeded to win just a single seat in Boyo on account of the fact that it stood unchallenged in that constituency. The party is also credited with four other seats, probably in the Littoral and South West regions.

Trends also indicate that Bello Bouba Maigari’s UNDP won two extra seats compared to the five of 2013, stepping up its count to seven. The party has thus emerged as second best in Parliament but fell short of forming a parliamentary group.

Perhaps the biggest winner in Sunday’s polls is Cabral Libii’s PCRN. Unofficial results credit the fledgling party with 4 parliamentary seats , probably won in the Littoral and Nyong et Kelle constituency at the expense of the UPC that went to the polls in dispersed ranks.

Cabral Libii’s PCRN was also already claiming victories in the Nkonjock Council in the Littoral; Kon Yambetta in the Mbam et Inoubou and Kaï Kaï in the Mayo Danay (Far-North).

Trends also place the Cameroon Party for National Reconciliation as the highest benefactor of the MRC boycott. The party is neck and neck with the CPDM party in Douala 5, 3 and 2 subdivisions, pushing the SDF to the third position.

Only the official results would also confirm if Issa Tchiroma’s FSNC actually won a seat and where.

Irregularities

The CPDM may have won a crushing majority, but in addition to the low voter turnout, the elections were marred by a catalogue of irregularity that observers say detract from their credibility. Electoral malpractices like stuffing of ballot papers, vote-buying, multiple voting were detected in some polling stations. An ELECAM official, identified as Makia Ashu Enow was reportedly arrested in Kumba for stuffing a ballot box ever before voting began!

In another glaring case, members of a brigade against fraud (BAF) created by Hon. Jean Michel Nintcheu were able to track down a male voter voting with a female voting card in Douala.

Still in Douala, Wouri East constituency, there were reports that a lady, said to be the wife of a sitting minister, was arrested with several voting cards.

In Mbouda, SDF Secretary General, Jean Tsomeleu, was arrested and kept behind bars on election day for intercepting ballot stuffing by the CPDM candidate to the Mbouda Council.

In Bertoua, the opposition cried foul after some 1500 soldiers were permitted to vote at a polling station, probably in support of the ruling CPDM.

Gunshots in NW and SW

The elections also took place amidst gunshots in some areas of the North west and south west Regions of Cameroon. Former minister, Prof. Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, was holed up in his Tombel residence for over one hour after gunshots from separatists were fired for over five minutes as he was about to go for voting. It was thanks to belated security reinforcement from the SDO for Kupe-Muanenguba and the Gendarmerie Legion that he was able to accomplish his civic duty. The high walls of his residence gate probably helped to fend off some of the bullets from enemy fire.

There were skirmishes in Agyati, Bafut where a polling station was burnt down. Explosions were also heard in Fiango, Kumba, Mbengwi and Mankon.

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9 February 2020 twin polls: Triumph of abstention!