Cameroon Elections Rivals Clash

An ADD campaign rally in Burkina, a neighbourhood of Ngaoundere 1, turned violent when an FPD convoy forced its way through the street on which ADD staged its campaign.

 Tensions heightened as the intruders, the FPD complained that the ADD did not have to occupy the street. A few fights broke out between both camps as supporters hurled insults at each other. ADD supporters blocked off the FPD convoy for a while but finally let them drive by.

The FPD caravan had driven past for the first time just as the ADD rally started at midday in the rocky Burkina quarter, without any incidents. They were noisy waving yellow flags and blaring vuvuzelas as their bikes crossed the area.

It was their second passage, when ADD, national president Garga Haman Adji, was addressing the rally that provoked tensions. Garga told his supporters, “don’t let them pass here!”

The rogues heading the FPD caravan swore to force their way through. Garga asked the national media to film the interference which was almost turning violent, as both sides shoved, trying to push away a cardboard that separated them.

There was no security officer in sight as both camps pushed and shoved for minutes.

The ADD supporters eventually let the FPD caravan drive through their crowd. Once this crowd closed up again to listen to Garga, some leftover FPD supporters travelling in the same direction caused a third interference. This one ended in punches being exchanged by both supporters on the fringes of the ADD crowd.

Tensions are expected to mount in this last week of campaigning in the Adamawa region, especially with some party’s threatening a ‘jihad’ if they are cheated this year, according to some security sources.

The election is expected to be much disputed especially in the three councils of Ngaoundere. The Governor of the Adamawa, Abakar Ahamat, promised to step up security in the sensitive areas of the town, and in some polling stations before and after Election Day.