By Njodzeka Kernyuy
Ndifor Richard, a civil society activist and the Social Democratic Front deputy coordinator for political education and training, has criticised what he termed a smear campaign against SDF presidential candidate, Joshua Osih.
In a statement sent to MMI, Ndifor Richard recounted that, in the cutthroat world of politics, disagreement is normal and debate is healthy.
But he reiterated that what is happening to Hon. Joshua Osih and the SDF is neither healthy nor fair.
To him, it is a calculated smear campaign designed to distort the truth, stir division, and damage a man’s reputation in the eyes of the people he has dedicated his life to serve.
Osih’s Crime
A few years ago, Hon. Osih was the lone opposition MP who co-signed a bipartisan letter alongside members of the ruling CPDM party, calling on the United States Congress to press for the repatriation of individuals responsible for horrific killings and kidnappings in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon.
These actions have come to haunt Honourable Osih as he seeks for the highest office on land.
According to Ndifor Richard, the letter was never about targeting “Anglophones” or silencing anyone who supports the Anglophone cause.
“It was about ensuring that those who spilt innocent blood—those who turned classrooms into killing fields—face justice,” he stated.
To him, some detractors are now trying to make it sound as if it is somehow a taboo for an opposition MP to co-sign a letter with CPDM MPs.
“That logic is as false as it is dangerous. CPDM MPs are fellow Cameroonians, not devils. When a matter of general interest is at stake, especially one involving the lives of our citizens, there is nothing wrong with MPs of opposing parties agreeing and acting together. It happens everywhere in the world, and it is a mark of maturity, not betrayal,” he said.
Osih Taken Out Of Context?
Ndifor Richard argues those propagating the campaign against Joshua Osih are not honest.
To him, the detractors now claim, without an ounce of honesty, that Osih called for every Anglophone in the US who supports the cause to be repatriated.
“This is not just a lie; it is a deliberate act of political sabotage,” said Ndifor Richard.
“No other candidate in this race has been subjected to the level of distortion and vilification that Hon. Osih has faced. And here is the bitter irony—these attacks often come not just from Francophones but from within his own Anglophone community. Those who should stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him in the fight for justice and national unity are, instead, aiding the witch-hunt.”
He added that the school children of Kumba and Ekondo Titi were children who were brutally murdered simply because they dared to seek an education.
“Remember the mothers who buried their sons and daughters, the fathers who could not protect their families from gunmen, and the communities living under constant fear. That is the human reality behind the letter Osih signed,” he said.
To him, those who are trying to weaponise this letter against him owe it to the victims to tell the truth.
“If they truly believe in transparency, let them publish the full letter. Let the public see, word for word, that its sole intent was to ensure that murderers, kidnappers, and war profiteers cannot hide behind foreign borders,” he said.
Politics, he added, should be about vision, leadership, and service, not about tearing down those who dare to stand for justice.
Ndifor Richard sees what is going on as a shameful manipulation of history, and those perpetuating it should search their consciences.
“Cameroon deserves a debate grounded in truth, not in cynical propaganda. As we move toward this decisive election, let us reject lies, reject manipulation, and reject the politics of destruction. Let us stand for justice, for unity, and for the truth—because that is what Hon. Joshua Osih stood for when he signed that letter, and that is what he continues to stand for today,” he stated.
