Speech by Deputy Jean Michel Nintcheu during the plenary session devoted to the review of the draft law extending the mandate of deputies
Mr. President,
Mr. Minister,
The explanation of the reasons for the bill we are asked to review is an insult to national intelligence in that it is practically a copy-paste of the one that “justified” last year’s extension!
Let’s be clear: It is not my concern to challenge your government’s right to extend the mandate of Members of Parliament in accordance with the current Constitution and existing laws.
What I rebuke with the greatest energy in the renewal government is the fantastical and biased interpretation of some articles of the constitution, especially article 15(4) on the extension of the mandate of MPs for a purely electoral purpose when they feel threatened by the ballot boxes!
Indeed, no one has forgotten how your champion was severely molested, not to mention battered, during the presidential election last October!
Hasn’t the extension become a variable of political adjustment? In this regard, your current strategy seems to be to manoeuvre to let the storm of the past presidential pass!
It must be said out of hand that the lack of money to finance the long-awaited legislative election, already arbitrarily postponed to 2025, and the problems of the internal organization of Elecam, whose budget is increasing year-on-year, cannot be invoked legally and legitimately to justify a new extension.
By the way, how can one invoke financial hardship in a country where waste is erected in government mode? Where massive embezzlement of public funds become a national sport? Where are the financial scandals (Glencore, Covidgate, Cangate, Portgate case that made the public treasury lose nearly 1200 billion FCFA, i.e. 13.7% of the state budget for the fiscal year 2026 because of smugglers carpeted in the high spheres of the state, the scandal of the operation of the state iron ore, etc … ) are classified in the register of simple miscellaneous files?
On another level, what legitimacy do MPs whose mandate has been extended twice in a row enjoy to vote on the announced constitutional reforms? That’s why I’m asking for the rejection of this bill and then the vote on constitutional reforms by referendum!
Hon. Jean Michel Nintcheu
Member of Parliament
