No Anglophone in race for FECAFOOT presidency

Of the fifteen candidates vying for the top job include three former ministers

By Sylvanus Ezieh Acha’ana in Yaounde

No Anglophone is amongst the fifteen candidates who are vying for the post of president of the Cameroon Football Federation, FECAFOOT.  The election which has been billed for November 30 later this year is promising fireworks owing to the dynamism of the candidates.

Talk is rife on the streets as well as in beer parlours on why a single Anglophone has not featured in the contest. Critics are arguing that the conditions for candidature to the post of president for FECAFOOT, contained in the new text are fair in the sphere of linguistic equilibrium.

John Begheni Ndeh, the only Anglophone who was capable of contesting the election unfortunately did not declare his candidature. Ndeh, who was assistant president of FECAFOOT, it should be recalled, became interim president for few months after Iya Mohammed was arrested.

Given that he has been in the house for long and masters it well, Ndeh was the only Anglophone that was looked upon to represent Anglos in the contest.

Meanwhile, the seventeen candidates gunning for the federation’s top job include three former ministers, retired footballers, politicians and other refined professionals. Amongst their ranks include; Bernard Messengué Avom, former minister of public works. He hails from the Centre region; Alioum Aladji Hamadou, he is said to be backed by the current president of the national Olympic committee, Kalkaba Malbourne; Michel Zoah, former minister of sports; Thierry Augustin Edzoa, former minister of sports; Antoine Essomba Eyenga, purportedly backed by Mbarga Mboa; Francis Mveng, he is alleged to be the candidate of the secretary general at the prime minister’s office, Louis Paul Motaze; Joseph Antoine Bell, former Indomitable Lions’ goalkeeper; Roger Milla Indomitable Lions’ striker, reportedly President Paul Biya’s choice; Jean Marie Abouna, reportedly the candidate of the president of the FECAFOOT normalisation committee, Joseph Owona; Joseph Feutcheu, Abdouraman Hamadou, Sidiki Tombi à Roko, Mikado Eboa Elamé, Célestin Effa Ndene, Luc Assamba, allegedly the first choice of special duties minister at the presidency in charge of sports, Philippe Mbarga Mboa.