Shewa David, a former militant of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) party who lost elections for the post of Chairman, has created his own political party.
He came second in the SDF elections last year in his bid to become national chairman, losing to Osih Joshua Nambangi, Member of Parliament for Wouri Center in the Littoral Region.
Following his defeat in the elections, Shewa has now submitted an application with the Ministry of Territorial Administration to legalise a new political outfit with him at the head.
An acknowledgment note from Minister Paul Atanga Nji, a copy of which MMI obtained, indicates that the yet-to-be-legalized political party has been baptized, Social Democratic Face Front (SDFF).
In a telephone conversation with MMI, Shewa confirmed having deposited an application for the formation of a new political party.
“Truly, I have deposited an application at MINAT,” Shewa told MMI.
Conscious of the fact that the party is pending legalisation, the one time unsuccessful contestant for Parliament in Ako-Misaje special constituency said, “Let the party be legalised first. That is when I will have much to say on our vision.”
He added, “However, we are in a democracy, and it is the right of citizens to create political parties.”
Quizzed on whether his recent move means he has closed ranks with his former party, he said: “From SDFF, you can know that I am leaving the SDF.
“As Anglophones, we have right to form our different political parties. The leaders we have do not tell the government the solutions to what is happening,” said Shewa.
Shewa thinks the number of political parties from the English-speaking regions is minimal.
“We think that through a political party, we can rally to advise and educate ourselves to bring peace.”
Many have described Shewa’s move as a government-sponsored ploy to destroy the SDF, one of the strongest oppositions to President Paul Biya’s 42-year regime.
“This is the work of the CPDM government. We now understand that Shewa was being sponsored in our last elective convention by this regime so as to have our party sold with him at the helm, but thank God it didn’t happen,” an SDF official told MMI.
It should be noted that Shewa David declared to form a new political party at the close of the SDF elective convention last year after losing to Osih Joshua.
The young politician from Ako, in Donga Mantung Division of the North West Region, had expressed dissatisfaction at the conduct and outcome of the elections, citing electoral fraud favoring the winner.
It should be recalled that Godden Zama, who came out third in the SDF chairmanship race, resigned from the party shortly after the elective convention.
Critics have described Shewa David and Godden Zama as opportunists who had hidden agendas, the “reason why they have all quit the party after failing to achieve whatever plans they had that we do not know”.
Since its creation, the SDF has been rocked by internal wrangling with disgruntled members backing out to join other parties or create new ones.
The likes of the late Ben Muna, Sani Alhaji, Kah Walla, Chretien Tabetsing, Jean Michel Nintcheu, and Paulinus Jua, amongst others, abound.
SDFF is the latest blow to the SDF party, whose founding chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi, passed away last year.
The Social Democratic Front is now led by Osih Joshua Nambangi, Member of Parliament for Wouri and Questor at the National Assembly.
The party that is almost becoming unpopular is yet to gain steam with a new leader who is currently on a nationwide tour.
