Biya, CPDM Sued For Long Stay In Power, Bad Governance

Cameroon President, Paul Biya, and the Central Committee of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM, have been sued at the Supreme Court for long stay in power and bad governance.

According to a complaint from the Central Committee of the United Socialist Democratic Party, USDP, represented by its Chairperson, Prince Michael Ngwese Ekosso, addressed to the Administrative Bench of the Supreme Court and its First President, five counts are levelled against Biya and the CPDM Central Committee.

The registrars of the two courts acknowledged receipt of the complaints dated March 7, 2016, while the case is registered under No 244 at the Administrative Bench of the Supreme Court and carries registration No235.

In his complaint, Ekosso stated that; “Mr. Paul Biya and members of his Government have completely refused to apply Articles 65 and 66 of the Constitution with impunity. Article 66 calls on top functionaries of the State to declare their assets before and after leaving office. The USDP Chair also complained that “the constituent membership of ELECAM is infested with CPDM militants, thus preventing a free and fair election in Cameroon.

“Mr. Biya, in complicity with his ‘CPDM Majority’ in the Upper and Lower Houses of the Assembly are busy making attempts to tamper with the Constitution again and to schedule early Presidential election in Cameroon, in order to eternalise their grip on power, whereas, constitutionally, such elections should come up only in 2018.”

Based on such complaints, Ekosso told the two courts in count one that; “Mr. Biya has failed to perform his duties as Head of State in a safe and effective manner, as described in the oath of office by not respecting the Constitution of Cameroon.”

In count two, he states that; “Biya and the CPDM Central Committee, which exhibits corrupt governance is crippling our national development as the population lacks basic facilities like water, good shelter, good roads, good and affordable healthcare; and free, good and practical education for our children, especially at the primary school level.”

Count three notes that; “Cameroon has failed to progress under Biya and members of his Government due to Faustian, myopic and selfish backward type of leadership planted to power,” while count four states that Biya and the CPDM Central Committee are unjust, corrupt, selfish, greedy and wicked to lead the Cameroonian people.

Count five claims that, “Mr. Biya and the CPDM Central Committee have failed in the war which he declared against Boko Haram in Paris on May 17, 2014, because our sons and daughters are dying on daily basis in the North and Mr. Biya has never gone to the North to ascertain the situation. Rather, he is always between Yaounde and Europe.”

Prince Ekosso and the USDP Central Committee are asking the courts to cause Biya and the CPDM Central Committee to compensate Cameroonians with over FCFA 2 billion together with any attorney fees and court. In the complaint, which copies have been sent to the Cameroon Bar Association; the Fako Lawyers Association, the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms; diplomatic missions in Yaounde; the EU Commissioner in Cameroon; the UN and the African Union, the USDP Chair has called on Biya to step down, organise free, fair and democratic elections in which he will not be a candidate.