At least 10.000 SDF supporters turned out at the party’s 25th-anniversary rally yesterday, May 26 at the Bamenda Commercial Avenue.

Clad in SDF regalia, they march passed along the Commercial Avenue chanting celebratory songs as chairman, John Fru Ndi watched on.

Fru Ndi was joined on stage to commemorate the party’s silver anniversary by leaders of other frontline political parties in the country.

Amongst their ranks included the Secretary General of the CPDM, Jean Nkuete who led a delegation of other CPDM party barons, the Sultan of Foumban Mbombo Njoya, a representative of the NUDP and another from the UPC, plus friends from sister parties of the CEMAC zone.

The SDF chieftain used the anniversary celebrations to call on the regime to dismantle the electoral body – Elections Cameroon, ELECAM. Fru Ndi said ELECAM cannot guarantee free and fair elections and so should be scrapped in favour of a “veritable independent electoral commission".

He recalled that the director general of ELECAM had once openly declared during a meeting in Yaoundé that they make the laws and can change them at any time. To him, the suppression of ELECAM and the putting in place of a reliable independent electoral commission would consolidate peace and security in the country.

He also joined his voice to that of common law lawyers by reiterating that federalism was the best option for Cameroon. He said only federalism can bring meaningful development for a nation like Cameroon.

The SDF chieftain wittily directed few statements in his anniversary speech at the Foumban Sultan who was physically present. “This party was created when Sultan Mbombo Njoya was minister of territorial administration… I remember the sultan said I have escaped to Nigeria… 25 years after the launching of the SDF, here I’m still in Cameroon,” he muttered.

In his characteristic boldness he equally ignored the presence of Biya’s regime lackeys and made some very critical statements. He picked issues with Biya and his regime over several issues he considers abnormal but which the latter continue to perpetrate. Hear him: “Biya himself once admitted that the country’s judiciary is corrupt when he is at the head of the said judiciary.”

He used the rendezvous to pay tribute to the fallen party militants and founders, some of whom are still living. He recalled how President Biya’s regime decreed a state of emergency in Bamenda in 1992 when he, Fru Ndi won the 1992 presidential election by landslide but had his victory snatched by Biya.

Fru Ndi reechoed other historic moments of the party – for example, the 6 militants shot dead at the launching of the party in 1990, how he was shot on the leg in Bafoussam by regime’s forces terrorized in Yaoundé by the police and how he escaped death by the skin of the teeth after taking refuge at the Dutch Embassy in Yaoundé amongst other tragic scenes.

He equally reminded the population about gendarmes’ shootings in Ndu, 6 people who attended an SDF rally on June 6, 1992, objects like bottles and pepper forced into women’s vaginas and property of residents looted and destroyed all because the SDF wanted democracy to prevail in Cameroon.

Turning to CPDM Secretary General, Ndi said; “Mr. Secretary General (Jean Kuete) I have put all these bad memories behind for the sake of peace in this country.”

In goodwill messages that followed, representatives of UNDP and UPC congratulated SDF for its steadfastness to the course of peace, unity and democracy. The UNDP representative particularly observed that only SDF can rescue Cameroon from her political sins.

CPDM’s Jean NKuete congratulated the SDF for subscribing to the goals of unity, democracy and peace in the country. He wished that SDF continue to join the ruling party CPDM, to carry the country forward and fight Boko Haram which is trying to destabilize the country’s peace.

Nkuete added: “I was designated to lead the CPDM Central Committee delegation here to the SDF 25th anniversary to wish you well. The Head of State together with the first lady Chantal Biya heartily congratulate SDF for the anniversary and thank the SDF for the massive turn out during the May 20 National Day celebration last week..” NKuete said.

The SDF handed the sum of 18.1 M FCFA to North West governor, Adolph Lele Lafrique as contribution towards fighting the war against Boko Haram.

The celebrations culminated to the laying of a wreath at Liberty Square, formerly Bamenda City Chemist Roundabout, in honour of the six militants who were shot dead during the party’s launching in 1990.