2018 presidential election: Five candidates reject code of good conduct

During the 7th national consultation forum in Yaounde last Thursday September 6, 2018 between Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) and other stakeholders of the electoral process, some participants refused to endorse the revised code of good conduct used in 2011.

Although the majority of participants in the meeting adopted the 21-point binding rules to guarantee a smooth electoral process for the October 7 vote, there were some agitations particularly among representatives of some presidential candidates who argued that the document was yet another attempt by the Biya regime to muzzle opposition candidates and prevent them from challenging electoral fraud in the name of "peace".

Representatives of five of the nine candidates running for the October 7 election angrily left the meeting hall at the Yaounde conference centre on Thursday without endorsing the code.

Social Democratic Front (SDF) secretary general, Senator Jean Tsomelou who represented the leading opposition’s flag bearer at the consultation forum together with the representatives of Akere Muna, Maurice Kamto, Ndifor Afanwi Frankline (Prophet Frank) and Cabral Libii all rejected the document.

According to Lasha Kingsley, Prophet Frank's Communication and Press Manager, the presidential candidate’s representative at the forum could not endorse the document because ELECAM introduced the G20 which is a group of twenty opposition party leaders supporting CPDM presidential candidate, Paul Biya. Lasha said their representative like others who also brushed off the code saw that “there was something fishy with the document”.

But ELECAM chairman, Enow Abrams Egbe said the code of conduct is document meant to implemented in order to give the election

“We are not working particular political party. We are working for the electoral process of our country. The ambition of Elections Cameroon is to give credibility to our electoral process and we think that when we take an act, we try to see how it can accommodate all interests,” Enow Abrams said.

During the one day forum, members of the Electoral Board of ELECAM exchanged views with some 500 stakeholders including of the electoral process including legalized political parties, candidates for presidential election, civil society organizations, private and public media under the theme “The role of election stakeholders for a successful election”.

The holding of Consultations between ELECAM and other stakeholders of the electoral process is provided for by Section 11 (2) of Law No.2012/001 of 19 April 2012 relating to the Electoral Code.

According to ELECAM, the 7th National Consultation Forum had as main objective to appease the socio-political climate on the eve of the presidential election, by consolidating democratic principles and dialogue between stakeholders of the electoral process, while improving their competence and performance for a better appropriation and a harmonised comprehension of texts and practices, during and after the vote.

At press time, the final document which is a revised edition of the code of good conduct used during the 2011 presidential election was not yet accessible to the media. The communication unit of ELECAM promised to send us a once available.
By Ndi Eugene Ndi