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Yang Says He Isn’t Ready To Ransom For Any Kidnapped Militants By Joe Dinga Pefok The deteriorating security situation in the Northwest Region and numerous threats from the Ambazonia Defence Forces, ADF, have forced Northwest CPDM elite to ban campaign rall
2018 Presidential Election: CPDM Bans Campaign Rallies In NW After Threats From Gunmen
Yang Says He Isn’t Ready To Ransom For Any Kidnapped Militants By Joe Dinga Pefok The deteriorating security situation in the Northwest Region and numerous threats from the Ambazonia Defence Forces, ADF, have forced Northwest CPDM elite to ban campaign rallies in the Region ahead of the October 7 Presidential election. The decision was adopted at a CPDM meeting at Ayaba Hotel in Bamenda on Saturday, August 18, 2018, chaired by the CPDM Northwest Regional Coordinator, who is also the Prime Minister, Philemon Yang. The meeting was attended by external and internal Northwest CPDM elites, including CPDM Divisional Coordinators and Section Presidents. The meeting held within the backdrop of scaring reports of surging cases of kidnapping in the Region by unknown persons claiming to be Amba fighters. One of the recent cases that was still very fresh in the minds of the Northwest CPDM elite was the kidnapping of Mbonifor, the CPDM Section President of Mezam 1V (Bafut). Meanwhile, a source at the August 18 meeting presided at by the PM, told The Post that after evaluating the deteriorating security situation in the Region as well as the warnings and threats by Amba fighters and activists against the holding of the October 7 Presidential election, the Northwest CPDM officials and elite agreed that it will be too risky for them to organise public rallies during the Presidential election campaigns. They expressed fear that militants, especially the elite, can be shot at or kidnapped by Amba fighters. It was thus resolved that the CPDM will avoid organising public rallies during the campaigns. Faced with such situation, the Northwest CPDM elite adopted the door-to-door and telephone contacts campaigns strategies to meet potential voters. They also resolved to campaign through the social media. I Will Not Pay Ransom, Yang Warns Subordinates Meanwhile, The Post learnt that the Prime Minister was so scared of the Amba boys and warned members of his entourage not to ‘stray’ out of the gate of the heavily guarded Ayaba Hotel, throughout their stay in Bamenda. He reportedly warned that if any person moves out of the gate and is kidnapped by Amba, he will not pay any ransom for the person’s release. The Post also learnt that from Friday, August 18 that the Prime Minister Yang arrived Bamenda, till the Wednesday, August 22, when he left back to Yaounde, he did not leave Ayana Hotel. Meanwhile, the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, told reporters in Bamenda on Monday, August 20 that the Northwest Region is calm. Yet, Atanga Nji, who is also the Mezam Divisional Coordinator of the CPDM, was one of the key participants at the CPDM meeting that Prime Minister Yang chaired on August 18. Read more
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