Internal strife, clash of interest and fissions within the Social Democratic Front (SDF) party has led militants to hand a five-year suspension on Barrister Peter Nankwah Ataba.

This was the resolution of a disciplinary committee meeting of the Muyuka SDF Electoral District of May 8, 2015.

Ataba was, by the resolution, banned from participating in any activity of the SDF for the next five years.

Until October 25, 2014, Barrister Ataba was the Muyuka Electoral District Chairman of the SDF.

Ataba was voted out during an Electoral District Conference of October 25 at the Muyuka Cooperative Hall. During the votes supervised by the South West Regional Chairman of the SDF, George Ngeke Likiye, over 150 delegates at the conference voted for Ataba’s ousting, while about 50 wanted him to stay on.

Elections were thus conducted to replace Ataba and was won by Philip Ndoke. Ndoke was ward chairman and coordinator of Muyuka Central SDF Zone before his election.

Since losing to the CPDM during September 30, 2013, twin elections, the party has seen no peace, as some militants accuse Barrister Ataba of being responsible for the party’s dwindling fortunes.

Philip Ndoke holds that: “The problem in Muyuka is that for the past 12 years, since Barrister Ataba became District Chairman, we’ve lost all elections under his regime except the 2011 Presidential elections. So, the ward chairmen sat and put up a motion of no-confidence against him. 29 ward chairmen signed the motion and we copied the party hierarchy.”

He said they went to Bamenda and met with SDF National Chairman, John Fru Ndi. He advised them to come back to the region.

Ndoke said they met with Ferdinand Asapngu, National Organising Secretary of the SDF who ordered George Likiye, South West SDF Chairman to instruct Ataba to convene a conference of the party in Muyuka.

Ataba ignored the calls and Likiye went ahead to convene a conference for May 10. Ataba is reported to have advised militants not to attend the meeting, reason why a quorum was not formed.

The October 25 meeting, however, attained a quorum and Ataba was shown the way out.

A 16-points memo against Ataba, allegedly signed by 29 ward chairmen, accused him of single-handedly picking SDF candidates for the council elections, among them, five CPDM militants and some unpopular candidates.

“Militants of the CPDM resigned on the eve of the elections and were put on our list. Ataba sat alone in his house and came up with the list. We failed because we had a weak list. We want Ataba to step-down for us to put a new bureau. We can’t wait for his mandate to expire. We don’t need him as District Chairman,” Ndoke had told The SUN prior to the October 25 vote.

Meantime, Barrister Ataba had described the 16-points written against him as baseless. He said he has requested that a commission of inquiry be sent to Muyuka to investigate the matter. He argues that war chairmen were deceived to sign the motion of no confidence against him.

Ataba says he will not resign as District Chairman until his mandate ends sometime next year. “I maintain a very cool head. I’ve asked the party to come and investigate. If I’m found guilty, then I’ll stand down. I’ve petitioned the party hierarchy.”

Ataba tried for embezzlement

The suspension handed Ataba comes after he was tried in abstentia for embezzling the caution of SDF candidates at the 2013 municipal elections. The money is said to amount to FCFA 2,050,000 (Two million and fifty thousand francs). Ataba had told The SUN that the said money was used to service debts incurred by the party during the said elections.

In themeantime, the Regional Chairman of the SDF in the South West has told The SUN that the suspension meted on Ataba was ill-timed. He said though the disciplinary committee followed the party’s text, they acted at a time when dreaded article 15 of the SDF basic texts has been suspended.

Likiye says the SDF is trying to reconcile with its former militants and cannot be seen sending away existing followership.

He has thus reversed the decision pending the report of a Moukondo Daniel-led probing mission to Muyuka.