Tiko Council Crisis: Councillors Challenge SDO’s Postponement of Extraordinary Session to Remove 2nd Deputy Mayor

A political and administrative standoff is unfolding at the Tiko Council in Cameroon’s South West Region following the postponement of an extraordinary council session convened to deliberate on the removal of the 2nd Deputy Mayor over alleged prolonged absence from office.

Documents obtained by MMI News show that a majority of councillors formally initiated the process, but the intervention of the Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) for Fako, Viang Mekala, has triggered growing tension between elected officials and state administrative authority.

Majority of Councillors Move Against 2nd Deputy Mayor

The controversy centres on Mrs. Elmina Ayibe Epse Ngomba, also referred to as Helmina Ngomba, the 2nd Deputy Mayor of Tiko Council. According to official correspondence, a majority of municipal councillors petitioned for the convening of an extraordinary session to deliberate on her removal, citing what they described as long and unjustified absences from duty.

In a letter dated 5 February 2026, the Senior Divisional Officer for Fako formally acknowledged receipt of this request from councillors, confirming that the move originated from within the council itself and was grounded on alleged administrative misconduct related to absenteeism CamScanner 02-05-2026 14.34.

Mayor Lawfully Convenes Extraordinary Session

Following the councillors’ request, the Mayor of Tiko Council issued an official invitation to all councillors, convening an extraordinary council session scheduled for Friday, 6 February 2026 at the Tiko Council Hall.

The invitation explicitly referenced Section 172 of Law No. 2019/024 of 24 December 2019, the General Code of Regional and Local Authorities, which empowers municipal councils to hold extraordinary sessions at the request of the Mayor or a qualified majority of councillors Invitation to Councilors.

The agenda circulated ahead of the meeting left little ambiguity about the purpose of the session.

Agenda Included Dismissal and Replacement Vote

The official Programme of the Day clearly outlined deliberations to:

• Terminate the duties of the 2nd Deputy Mayor,
• Elect a new 2nd Deputy Mayor,
• Present the results to the Representative of the State.

This indicates that the council was preparing not merely for a discussion, but for binding resolutions with immediate institutional consequences Agenda.

SDO Orders Postponement in Confidential Letter

On the eve of the scheduled session, the Senior Divisional Officer for Fako intervened through a confidential letter addressed solely to the Mayor of Tiko Council, requesting the adjournment of the extraordinary session to an unspecified later date.

In the letter, the SDO advanced three principal reasons for the postponement:

1. The prevailing political climate, citing indications of the imminent convening of the electoral college for municipal and legislative elections.
2. Alleged procedural concerns, arguing that the Mayor ought first to ascertain the irregular absence of the Deputy Mayor and transmit the matter to the Minister of Decentralization and Local Development for approval.
3. The assertion that the 2nd Deputy Mayor had recently resumed duty, with a recommendation that any future absence be documented in line with existing regulations.

The letter did not invoke a court order nor did it explicitly annul the council’s deliberative powers

Councillors Reject Postponement, Cite Legal Autonomy

Several councillors have since expressed strong dissatisfaction with the postponement, arguing that the SDO’s correspondence, being confidential and addressed exclusively to the Mayor, does not legally bind councillors in the exercise of their statutory functions.

According to sources within the council, councillors insist that the extraordinary session should proceed in accordance with the law. They maintain that any disagreement over the legality of their decisions should be resolved through the Administrative Court, not by administrative instruction.

This position underscores a broader tension within Cameroon’s decentralization framework between elected local authorities and state-appointed supervisory officials.

Legal Grey Area Highlights Decentralization Tensions

Under Cameroon’s decentralization laws, municipal councils function as deliberative organs, while Senior Divisional Officers exercise supervisory oversight on behalf of the state. However, legal experts note that such oversight is generally exercised a posteriori, through suspension of decisions, ministerial referral, or judicial review — not through pre-emptive cancellation of council sessions by correspondence.

The unfolding situation in Tiko thus raises fresh questions about the limits of administrative authority, the autonomy of local councils, and the practical implementation of decentralization reforms nearly five years after the adoption of the General Code of Regional and Local Authorities.

What Happens Next?

As of now, the extraordinary session has been postponed to an unspecified date, but councillors remain adamant that the matter must be resolved through lawful deliberation rather than administrative fiat.

Whether the session will be reconvened, or whether the dispute will escalate to the Administrative Court or the Ministry of Decentralization and Local Development, remains to be seen.

For residents of Tiko, the impasse comes at a time of heightened political sensitivity, as Cameroon edges closer to crucial electoral milestones and local governance remains under intense scrutiny.

MMI News