UDP National Chairman, Bochong El – Hadj LAWAN BAKO, Salutes The Tone And Content Of The Gov’t Statement On Declarations By Some Catholic Bishops

 Says UDP considers the Bishop’s declarations as “their right, in view of the democratic principles enshrined in the Cameroon Constitution”.

Condemn Minister Atanga Nji’s “rough language and inappropriate statements that have directly and indirectly, triggered unhealthy debates in Cameroon”.

Bochong El – Hadj LAWAN BAKO, the National Chairman of   the United Democratic Party, UDP, with headquarters in Bamenda, Northwest Region of Cameroon, in a press release issued by the party on January 8, 2025, has saluted the tone of the language used, as well as the content, of the Government Statement that was issued on January 7, 2025, by the Minister of Communication, Rene Emmanuel SADI, who is also Government Spokesperson.

The Government Statement was a reaction to the recent declarations made by some Bishops of the Catholic Church in Cameroon, in connection to the 2025 presidential election. However the UDP leader prefers to say that the reactions of the Bishops were to “the state of affairs in Cameroon.”

Whatever the case, there is no doubt that the UDP National Chairman, Bochong El –Hadj LAWAN BAKO, who is also the National Coordinator of the Presidential Majority, in expressing his appreciation of the tone and content of the Government Statement, tacitly or logically meant that his party did not appreciate the attacks, that some members of the regime and their hired agents, launched against those Bishops. This was before the Government Statement came to state clearly the official position of Government on the issue.  The UDP leader sees the Government Statement issued by Minister SADI, as being in line with President BIYA’s politics of appeasement.

Void Of Aggressive Language

Worthy of note that the Government Statement which many people consider as a “soft position”, is void of aggressive language and invectives, and recognizes the right of all, to freely express their opinions, within the ambit of the Laws of the Republic. The UDP leader shares the position of the Cameroon Government on the issue, expressing the view that the Bishops (Cameroonians), have a right to express their opinions on the state of affairs in the country, if they so wish,   It should be noted that the tone and content of the January 7, 2025 Government Statement that the UDP leader so much appreciates, are reflective of the man, Rene Emmanuel SADI, a trained diplomat and a real gentleman. When SADI was Minister of   Territorial Administration and Decentralization (a much bigger ministry then), Cameroonians never heard any noise, intimidation or threats from MINATD, as the ministry which is now even smaller (MINAT), has become notorious today.

Fight Against Corruption

Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the UDP in the January 8 press release also revisited some pertinent issues that were raised in President Biya’s end – of – year message to the Nation, in the evening of December 31, 2024. He saluted especially the President’s promise to ensure that corrupt personalities will be sanctioned. “In view of President BIYA”s State of the Nation’s Address –  to ensure that corrupt personalities will be sanctioned, the UDP National Chairman, Bochong El – Hadj  LAWAN BAKO, welcomes the Head of State’s message with profound gratitude on his assurance to Cameroonians, to sanction corrupt personalities in Cameroon who have ruined the Cameroon Economy”.

MEANWHILE, BELOW IS THE ENTIRETY OF THE UDP PRESS RELEASE:

THE UNITED DEMOCRATIC PARTY, UDP

The National Chairman of the United Democratic Party, UDP, El – Hadj LAWAN BAKO, welcomes the reactions of the Cameroon Minister of Communication, in response to some Bishops of the Catholic Church’s views on State of Affairs in Cameroon, which the UDP considers as their right in view of the Democratic Principles enshrined in the Cameroon Constitution.

The Cameroon Minister of Communication and Government Spokesman, Rene Emmanuel SADI’s reactions are in order – as of the tone and content of his write – up, which are highly commendable and , laudable in respect of President Paul BIYA”s Politics of Appeasement.

The UDP National Chairman vehemently condemns the activities of the Minister of Territorial Administration – rough language and inappropriate statements that have directly and indirectly triggered unhealthy debates in Cameroon, that have set  the public against the Cameroon Head of State, thereby tarnishing the image of  the Government.

In view of President Paul BIYA’s State of the Nation’s Address – to ensure that corrupt Personalities will be sanctioned, the UDP National Chairman, Bochong El – Hadj LAWAN BAKO welcomes the Head of State’s message with profound gratitude, on his assurance to Cameroonians, to sanction corrupt Personalities in Cameroon who have ruined the Cameroon Economy.

The fact is that the Minister of State Control had revealed the recovery of Billions of Francs CFA from embezzlers last year, but they have not been sanctioned as of today. The National President of CONAC had equally presented its findings on corrupt Institutions in Cameroon, which amongst them he pointed the Ministry of Territorial Administration, MINAT, but the Boss of MINAT have not been sanctioned, whereas he has not presented a convincing use of billions of francs CFA allocated by the Head of State, under the control of MINAT for IDPs of the Anglophone Crisis.

Finally the UDP urge the Head of State to sanction the corrupt elements in Government and out of Government now without further delay, and then continue with the Politics of Appeasement to ensure peace and National Cohesion.

Bochong El – Hadj LAWAN BAKO

UDP National Chairman