Asapngu Voted Out AS Kumba II Mayor:- CameroonPostline -- Incumbent SDF Mayor for Kumba II Council, Meme Division, Ferdinand Asapngu Nkeaka, suffered a crushing defeat while seeking re-election for a second mandate Wednesday, October 16. Asapangu got just 6 out of 24 votes. He was defeated by Martin Ndobengang Forcha after repeated attempts to strike a consensus for a single candidate failed. Tension arose in the session when a Councilor, Rosalie Kamdem, nominated Martin Ndobeganag as second candidate for the position of Mayor. At this point, the incumbent Mayor, Asapngu, took the floor, explaining to the audience that it was impossible for the councilors to vote against party hierarchy. He tried in vein to persuade the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO for Meme, David Koulbout Aman, to postpone the session. When the SDO insisted on going ahead with the elections as recommended by 17 of the 24 councillors present, Asapngu collected all the ballot papers from the table in a bid to frustrate the election. “Mr. SDO, you will conduct this election only when I am in the cell. I know you want to arrest me, but before you do that I want to say here that this matter is an internal affair that can be resolved. I stand here in my capacity as the National Organising Secretary of the SDF, calling for the adjournment of this election”. The SDO, who is the Council supervisory authority, later demanded for new ballot papers, which Asapngu tried seizing again. He later returned the papers after the SDO asked for the Kumba Central Police Commissioner to step in. According to the SDO, Cameroon is practicing democracy, which must take its course no matter the situation. Meanwhile, Promise Chia Ful was elected to serve as First Deputy Mayor. In Kumba III, the SDF District Chair, John Kona Makia, sailed through as Mayor-elect with 24 votes. His First Deputy is Hannah Elonge. Martin Youashi is his Second Deputy. In Kumba I Council, SDF list leader, Abel Ebako Ndoh, carried the day with over 22 votes. Election In Mbonge Under Tight Security In the Mbonge municipality, still in Meme Division, Chief William Ekong was voted Mayor amidst acts of violence from disgruntled SDF militants. Ekong overpowered Rudolf Nganda by 28 to 15 votes to emerge Mayor-elect. According to the disgruntled SDF militants, elections cannot be conducted because the party does not have a copy of the election results in Mbonge Sub Division. After repeated attempts by administrative and security officers to bring the situation under control, tension still reigned in the Mbonge council Chambers. The militants started hurling stones and sticks on the council building while voting was in progress. The angry crowd was later dispersed with the use of tear gas. The elections in Mbonge and Kumba were conducted under high military presence to forestall any acts of disorder.
Posted on: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 00:18:41 +0000