Cameroon Parliament: CPDM MP Resigns as Chair of Foreign Affairs Committee

By Christopher Ambe Shu

Honorable Ayah Paul Abine(pictured), CPDM MP for Akwaya and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Cameroon’s National Assembly has, fearlessly, tendered his letter of resignation as chairman of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Committee.

But his resignation will only take effect as from the next session of the National Assembly in March 2009, during which period a new bureau of the House including committee chairpersons are elected.

Hon Ayah, by the time of posting this report, could not be reached even by telephone confirmation

But several reliable sources close to this out spoken MP who confirmed they saw the letter, told this reporter that, Hon Ayah Paul submitted his letter of resignation, last November 30, to the National Chairman of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), Paul Biya (who is also Cameroonian head of State), via the president of the CPDM parliamentary Group leader.

The CPDM hierarchy is yet to react to Hon Ayah’s letter of resignation

The sources added that Hon Ayah chose the March 2009 session for his resignation to take effect because if he resigned now- during this on-going session, it could impede the smooth functioning of the House

What motivated Hon Ayah’s letter of resignation? Our sources disclosed that the out- spoken MP who is a career magistrate of exceptional class ,had repeatedly complained to his party hierarchy that, he was not treated well by the Bureau of the House because of his critical stance on issues of national interest. He said Hon. Ayah considered his mistreatment by the Bureau of the House as a betrayal of the confidence the party bestowed on him and so judged it wise to give up his functions as chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee. But he remains an MP

Even as chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, it was observed that Hon Ayah was hardly on trips abroad not of his liking but as kind of a punishment for being too overtly critical of the ruling party’s anti –people policies and decisions.

It would be recalled that, on Hon Ayah was the only CPDM MP who was against the recent amendment of the Cameroon’s constitution scraping off presidential term limit

The CPDM has a crushing majority in the Cameroon National Assembly, which is currently in session to examine and adopt among other things, the country’s 2009 national budget.