SDF Elections: New chairman, Joshua Osih gives fresh impetus
By Franka Nambou
Hon Joshua Osih Nambangi was elected National Chairman of the Social Democratic Front, SDF party on Saturday, October 28, 2023, but results were announced the next day Sunday following an all-night voting characterized by tension and arguments.
This was during the 10th ordinary convention which was presumed for October 27-28, 2023 but went into the early hours of October 29.
Osih defeated two other contestants for the party’s topmost office garnering 985 of the 1,565 valid votes.
Shewa Jestel, coordinator of the party in Donga Mantung in the North West region gained 363 votes while Godden Zama, Limbe Electoral District chair of the party in the South West region recorded 217.
According to the elected Chairman, Hon. Joshua Osih, the SDF party under his reign, will be able to positively impact the lives of Cameroonians.
“…You can trust me, we will get to where we have to go…we will win those councils, parliamentary seats, senatorial seats, regional councils, to make sure that after that we win that presidential seat to govern this country and take Cameroonians out of poverty, suffering, underdevelopment and for the good of all of us,” he said.
Osih further stated that; “…If I had just one thing to say, is that SDF is back and we are back,”.
Aside from voting for the post of National Chairman, other members of the National Executive Committee, NEC were voted.
Senator Mochiggle Vanigansen beat Njong Donatus to become the first Vice National Chairman at the end of the electoral process.
Saturday’s voting did not go through without hitches. Immediately voting started, supporters of Shewa and Zama amongst other things, had alleged there was no transparency and the massive presence of outsiders in the delegation from the Far North Region.
Voting was halted for hours and resumed after several sessions of deliberations.
Candidate Shewa while speaking to members of the press after deliberations, said; “When they started the voting procedure, people were coming ad randomly, seeing that they brought some students who do not even have Identity Cards. They bought them party cards for 500FCFA, saying they should vote with it, I have refused, they must be rectified and our representatives make sure that if you do not have an ID card you do not vote.
“I want to let Cameroonians know that, what is happening now, is we have our opponents, the CPDM party who have infiltrated our party. We have to clean the house,” he further said.
Elections which were presumed to be done by 2 pm Saturday, were extended to more than 10 hours.
The other opponent who lost, Godden Zama announced that his team shall hold a press conference in his fief, Limbe this week.
Hon. Johsua Osih replaces the emblematic leader of the SDF and founding father, Ni John Fru Ndi who died in June 2023 Ni John Fru Ndi, torch bearer of Cameroon’s Democracy – Cameroon News Agency
