UNDP Fires Back at Tchiroma for Referring to Bello Bouba as a ‘Lightweight’

By Njodzeka Kernyuy

The National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP) has chastised Issa Tchiroma Bakary, the presidential candidate of the Cameroon National Salvation Front (FSNC), for referring to the UNDP leader Bello Bouba Maigari as a “lightweight” in the upcoming October 12 presidential election.

In a statement issued by Marie Jeanne Abega Ndjie from the UNDP’s communication department, the party asserted that Tchiroma’s comment pits him as Bello Bouba Maigari’s “fiercest opponent.”

“If political ‘weight’ is based on manipulation, contradiction, lies, and populism, then the UNDP will always choose to speak the truth without artifice,” Marie Jeanne’s statement said.

“It is now confirmed that the fiercest opponent of His Excellency Bello Bouba Maigari is indeed Mr. Issa Tchiroma Bakary, whose mission appears to be to deconstruct the UNDP candidate.

“Our candidate has never been disparaging towards Mr. Tchiroma, unlike the treatment we are receiving from him and his supporters,” it added.

According to the UNDP, Tchiroma’s statement, according to the made during an interview with Equinoxe TV on Sunday, quashes hopes for a coalition between the two parties.

“Ateki, Muna, UPC, and many others have chosen the worthy path of leading change in Cameroon by supporting Bello Bouba Maigari, a true statesman. There is nothing more to hope for from Mr. Tchiroma in terms of a coalition. Everyone must go their own way; there is nothing else to be done,” Marie Jeanne Abega Ndjie stated.

The UNDP party is currently in a coalition with two other candidates, Akere Muna and Eteki Seta Caxton. Cameroon’s oldest party, the UPC, has also backed the coalition.

Many Cameroonians had hoped the UNDP and the FSNC, both popular parties in the country’s populated northern regions would join forces against President Paul Biya.

But this hasn’t happened so far.

Marie Jeanne Abega suggested that anyone hoping for a different outcome from Tchiroma is bound to be disappointed, adding that he seems “determined to indirectly reject any proposal from the future President of the Republic, Bello Bouba Maigari.”

The UNDP statement also recalled an earlier incident, alleging “unpleasant behaviour from relatives of Mr. Tchiroma” when Bello Bouba visited Tchiroma’s compound in Yaoundé.

“In his cunning, he chose the media to answer a question posed to him by his ‘brother from the same city,’ as he put it, calling the whole world to witness like any good manipulator,” the statement said.

The statement also challenged Tchiroma’s claim of having formed a “coalition with the people,” asserting that for Bello Bouba Maigari, “the coalition is formed according to God’s will, and there is no match.”

“I cannot wait for it to be the battle of David (Bello) against Goliath (Tchiroma). See you on October 12th,” the statement concluded.