27 Councilors Threaten Resignation From SDF

                                                                                                                                    By Benjamin Ngah

 Things might never be the same again within the ranks of the SDF in Tubah. The crisis sparked up last year after the twin election and the consequent election of Tanjong Martin in Tubah against the dictate of the Investiture Committee is far from tapering off.

            The last NEC meeting of Saturday 6th September, 2014 and it recommendation to reorganize the Tubah SDF electoral district seems to have fast-forwarded events within the SDF in Tubah with the SDF regional chairman, Njong Evaristus and others accused of Influence peddling and attempting to disunite the party in Tubah.

            In this regard, Tanjong Martin, the Mayor of Tubah after a meeting held on Monday 8th September, 2014 at his premised with some twenty seven councilors warned Njong Evaristus and others to stop meddling negatively with the affairs of the Tubah Council. According to Tanjong Martin, the Tubah Council is on the good footing and the people of Tubah are now feeling the presence of the council in their day to day lives. He gave a stained warning to whomever cares to listen, reminding them that he was voted by his people and he would not disappoint them. Hear him, “I am the chief shepherd of the people of Tubah. I was duly voted by the councilors and I will never let them down and the people of Tubah. I told Mbah Ndam and his team that Fru Ndi sent hear that I would not disappoint the people voted for me to become Mayor. I would not be shaken by what so ever.”

           Accusing the Regional Chairman of stirring confusion, misinforming and ill advising the hierarchy of the party, Tanjong Martin reminded Njong that during the senatorial election, while he gave the party thirty solid votes, Njong sold eight votes to buy his piece of land. “Njing goes disgracing me when I secured thirty solid votes for Fru during the senatorial election and he sells eight to buy his plot. I do not know the interst Njong has in the party and his people because he has no project of FCFA1000000 realized in his constituency. If he does, let him show me. Njong should not come and tear the people of Tubah. He should allow us in peace,” he said.

            On the threats from the councilors to massively resign from the SDF, the Mayor said, all other party barons have called him except Fru Ndi. According to him, he has told them that the council of Tubah has no problem but if the party has a problem with Tubah, they should come and tell the councilors. “We are not contesting anything with them and except there is some madness somewhere and the people need treatment. I am not the mayor of SDF. I am the Mayor of Tubah and as Mayor I work without any party coloration. We are ok and work is going on well in our municipality,” Tanjong insisted. He further declared that he is not contesting anything with the SDF and cannot force himself to be an SDF militant. “If the SDF does not want me in the party, I cannot force myself to be a militant, but if it does happen, some checks and balances must be done.”

           The twenty seven councilors present at the meeting were unanimous in their support for Mayor Tanjong Martin. According to them, if any undemocratic moves are taken against their Mayor, they were going to take action. According to one of the councilors, the SDF is a democratic party and has taught them how to vote and protect their votes. “We will protect our votes and we will not let it go no matter the circumstance. That is the ideology of the SDF and we will not let it go” he concluded.

         According to Councilor Akumbom Patrick, “the problem in Tubah was created by the Investiture Committee. The Investiture brought their own mayor and we said no and brought in the Mayor the people want. We are not going back. We are firm on our decision.”

        Councilor W. Barnabas could not hide his disillusionment with the party hierarchy. The party hierarchy has caused the people of Bambui not to respect them any longer. Accoding to him, it is Njong who is fanning the division because the people of Tubah had an agreement for the post of mayor to rotate between the three villages that make up Tubah. The people of Bambui had their turn and there was no need for any confusion from whomever.

        At the moment of going to press, all attempt to get to Hon. Njong Evaristus react to such accusations were futile as his phone was unavailable or busy.