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Republican candidate Donald Trump on Wednesday would not commit to accepting the outcome of the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election if he loses, challenging a cornerstone of American democracy and sending shockwaves across the political spectrum.

Trump's refusal, which his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton called "horrifying," was the standout remark of the their third and final debate and ratcheted up claims he has made for weeks that the election was rigged against him.

Asked by moderator Chris Wallace whether Trump would not commit to a peaceful transition of power, the businessman-turned-politician replied: "What I'm saying is that I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense. Ok?"

Trump's statement may appeal to his anti-establishment followers, but it was unlikely to reverse opinion polls that show him losing, including in key states that will decide the election.

"That is not the way our democracy works," Clinton said during the debate. "We've been around for 240 years. We've had free and fair elections. We've accepted the outcomes when we may not have liked them. And that is what must be expected of anyone standing on a debate stage during a general election."

Later she told reporters: "What he said tonight is part of his whole effort to blame somebody else for where he is in his campaign."

A CNN/ORC snap poll said 52 percent thought Clinton, the former U.S. secretary of state, won the debate while 39 percent said Trump, making his first run at public office, was the victor.

Mexico's peso currency, seen as a measure of Trump's prospects, rose to its highest level in six weeks at the end of the debate, suggesting growing investor confidence of a Clinton victory. Trump has vowed to build a wall on the border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants and has said he would make Mexico pay for it.

REPUBLICANS VOICE CONCERN

Mainstream Republicans were quick to denounce the comment. U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a former Republican presidential candidate who has never warmed to Trump, said: "If he loses, it will not be because the system is 'rigged' but because he failed as a candidate."

Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who also ran for the Republican presidential nomination and now supports Trump, defended him.

He said Trump's message was that "if there's some kind of obvious fraud going on, he's going to say something about it."

"He didn't say he wouldn't accept it," Carson told Reuters. "He said he would evaluate it at the time."

Trump's running mate, vice presidential nominee Mike Pence, said Trump "will accept the outcome" because he is going to win.

But Republican strategist Ryan Williams found Trump's statement "deeply concerning."

"You have to accept the results of the election unless there are grounds for a recount and at this point it does not appear that we're heading for a close election," he said.

 

'A NASTY WOMAN'

In a debate that for the first time focused more on policy than character, the two candidates nonetheless lashed out at each other.

Trump, 70, called Clinton "such a nasty woman," accused her campaign of orchestrating a series of accusations by women who said the businessman made unwanted sexual advances and said that both she and President Barack Obama were behind disturbances at his rallies.

He said the Clinton Foundation was a criminal enterprise and as a result she should not have been allowed to seek the presidency.

Clinton, 68, said Trump himself had incited violence, belittled women and posed a danger to the United States. She said Trump, a former reality TV star, had in the past also complained that his show was unjustly denied a U.S. television Emmy award.

"I should have gotten it," Trump retorted.

Trump said all of the stories of sexual misdeeds were "totally false" and suggested Clinton was behind the charges. He called her campaign "sleazy" and said, "Nobody has more respect for women than I do, nobody."

Clinton said the women came forward after Trump said in the last debate he had never made unwanted advances on women. In a 2005 video, Trump was recorded bragging about groping women against their will.

"Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity, their self-worth and I don’t think there is a woman anywhere who doesn’t know what that feels like," said Clinton, the first woman to win the nomination of a major U.S. political party.

The two candidates also had a spirited exchange on abortion, gun rights and immigration during the showdown.

Clinton said she would raise taxes on the wealthy to help fund the U.S. government's Social Security retirement program. She said Trump, who Forbes says is worth $3.7 billion, would be paying higher taxes too unless he can get out of it.

"Such a nasty woman," Trump said.

Trump and Clinton battled sharply over the influence of Vladimir Putin, with Clinton calling Trump the Russian president's puppet and Trump charging Putin had repeatedly outsmarted Clinton.

Clinton and Trump walked straight to their podiums when they were introduced at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, once again forgoing the traditional handshake as they did at the second debate last week in St. Louis, Missouri. This time they did not shake hands at the end of the debate either.

Reuters

 

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Rita Akana

20.Oct.2016

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Legal Luminaries from the North West and South West Regions under the canopy of the Association of Cameroon Common Law Lawyers have prolonged their strike action for another week after shunning the courts for a whole week,
Reports have it that about 1000 cases in North West and South West courts suffered adjournments.

According to a joint communique signed on October 15, 2016, the presidents of the various association that make up the Cameroon Common Law Lawyers Association the lawyers have vowed to ramp up pressure on government to address their grievances.
Barrister Collins Arrey, a legal practitioner in Limbe said, the strike is motivated by the fact that Cameroon is a signatory to the OHADA treaty which has French as working language, He said this infringes on the fundamental provisions of the Cameroon constitution which states that Cameroon is a bilingual country and both languages are of equal status. He added that as a practicing advocate, it is difficult to work with the OHADA Uniform Act in a purely Anglophone setup.
He also said another reason for the strike is the fact that the Anglo-Saxon judicial system has been infiltrated by francophone magistrates who are sent sometimes to the regions as prosecutors and judges of the bench. “We have decided to come out in one voice to tell government to stop sending prosecutors who know little or no English to English speaking regions to prosecute cases.” Arrey told The Sun. 

Barrister Epey, Spokesman of the Fako Lawyers Association said the reasons for extending the strike is due to government’s nonchalance to their grievances. He vowed that the strike must continue until government reacts.
The joint communiqué reads;

“We thankfully congratulate members of our four Associations (FAKLA, MALA, MELA & NOWELA) for their heeding to the call to protest strike and observing it across the entire common law jurisdictions of the North West and South West Regions; After duly evaluating the strike of 11th to the 14th of October 2016, and carefully deliberating on the way forward at the local levels of our various Constituent Associations, we have synchronized the common position which provides us with a consensual platform as follows: That on account to the deaf ear given to our protest strike we have unanimously agreed to extend the strike for another working week beginning from monday 17th to friday 21st of october 2016; We note with regret that the Government instead of responding to our demands spice by the strike action is still employing its traditional policy of divide and rule.

Consequently, we call on our members to remain resolute, determined, steadfast and focus and not to lend themselves to any Government manipulation; That a crucial enlarged meeting will be held in due course to decide on the next steps to be taken should the government continue to ignore our demands;That we shall be calling on all elected Public Representatives from the North West and South West Regions, to discharge their obligations to their constituencies which fall within the Common Law jurisdiction of North West and South West Regions to make their joint statements in the protection of the legal and legitimate rights of their constituents-cum-users of the Common law in Cameroon, failing which they shall be adjudged as haven compromised their representative positions vis-a-vis their constituencies; That we call on the members of the North West Fons’ Union to reassert and reconstitute their Union and stand up along the South West Chief’s Conference, as one person, to protect the children of their respective Fondoms and Chiefdoms in their efforts to protect their constitutional rights to have the common Law restored and protected; That we call on our sister syndicates, with similar sectoral plights to continue pursuing their demands trusting on the support of Cameroon Common Law Lawyers in any legal pursuit of their complaints, whether separately or jointly with us until such time that we would have exhausted local remedies within the national jurisdiction.We shall be synergizing with SYNES, Cameroon Teachers’ Trade Union –(CATTU), Teachers Association of Cameroon (TAC), Traders Associations, Taxi Drivers Unions, Bus Companies, and Commercial Motorbike Riders’ Associations, as well as “Buyam Sellam” Associations, across the North West and South West Regions; We finally appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our clients and emphasize that they and us have a joint interest in protecting the common law’’.
It should be noted that the lawyers are not against any personnel of the courts and consequently they are enjoined to eschew any hostility against us or our clients for they are better placed to understand the legality and legitimacy of our demands as corrective and protective measures in the recovery and rebuilding of judicial integrity and performance for the benefit of all out of our diversity.

The Sun

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Rita Akana

19.Oct.2016

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Today Monday, 17 October 2016 marks the 32nd day that President  Paul Biya Biya  has been out of Cameroon, he left the country on September 16th for New York barely a few days after he returned from an overdue stay in Geneva-Switzerland.

Consequently, opponents of the Biya regime in Europe,have mobilized under a group calling itself the (CODE )the Collective of Democratic and Patriotic Organisations of Cameroonians in the Diaspora, to take brilliant actions, which have led to the escape of  the absentee President from his Geneva hotel to a  more calmer and private residence , located at distance from the Lake Leman in Geneva.

In a video that is making headlines on social media, an activist from the CODE dressed in military uniform with a headscarf in the colours of the Cameroonian flag, shouts out at Mr Biya from  the parking lodge of the Intercontinental hotel where the presidential couple and the 40 man delegation accompanying him, had been lodging.The individual demanded President Biya, calling a criminal to fly back home and take responsibility of Cameroon's daily affairs.

The actions of the CODE members who had promised to come back was so  loud to the discomfort of the other guests who were lodging at the Hotel, the exposure of the Cameroonian leader's presence there subsequently prompted him, to change location and take up residence in a more secluded castle, on the shores of Lake Leman in Geneva, which is one of the most expensive neighbourhoods in the world.

Members of the code, have vowed that Mr Biya will have no calm anywhere in Europe. They  have promised further actions.
 "We are watching carefully every movement around the castle acquired with money from the Cameroonian taxpayers, and we reserve the right to act at any time from the publication of this release into forcing him to return to Cameroon, "writes Jean Michel Nintcheu, a Cameroonian refugee  and a member of the CODE.

He continues, "the CODE will do everything possible to force Paul Biya  to go back home and  take care of Cameroonian affairs.They  will lead any action it deems necessary to achieve this. "

This is not the first time that officials of the Code, have disrupted the stay of the President of Cameroon in Switzerland.
A few years back, the same group, had disrupted the stay of the head of state, thereby urging "the absentee landlord" to shorten his stay.

Issa Tchiroma Bakary, Cameroon's  Minister of Communication and spokesman of the Biya regime, rebukes the activists of the Code as "some lost individuals," wandering in Europe, financed by Western lobbies who are interested to see a regime change in Cameroon for their own benefits.In Yaounde, the actions of the Code  are without effect and insignificant.

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Mbi James

17.Oct.2016

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A colloquium on the First Lady, Chantal Biya’s humanitarian activities will leave a huge financial scar of FCFA 65,505,365 on the State treasury, if the organisers realise and execute the budget as planned.

Varsity don and official in the Ministry of Higher Education, Joel Narcisse Meyolo, nursed the idea that was later adopted by many of his colleagues.

Thus, the colloquium, pegged on the humanitarian activities of the First Lady, has been billed for November 1 to 3 at the Yaounde University II in Soa in the Mefou Afamba Division.

But hailing the charitable actions of the Cameroon’s First Lady is not the bone of contention here. The projected budget of the event is what has stirred so much disapproval in the Yaounde power circles and the social media.

One commentator even said the organisers were “intellectual scammers” who want to use the First Lady’s name to line their pockets with State funds.

According to the organisers, the colloquium that was tailored to glorify the First Lady will cost FCFA 65,505,365.

The projected budget is broken down as follows: Communication: FCFA 30,405,000, Feeding: FCFA 9,000,000, allowances to resource persons and members of the organising committee: FCFA 18,000,000, transportation and lodging of invitees FCFA 8,100,385.

The Post learnt that the different Ministries and other Government departments have been contacted to bankroll the event.

The Ministry of Youth and Civic Education is said to have responded with a pledge of FCFA 300,000. The Dean of the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, Magloire Ondoa, reportedly contributed FCFA 5 million.

Social networks have come down hard on the budget which they claim is exorbitant. One social critic and varsity don, Prof. Claude Abe, simply dismissed the idea of the colloquium, saying it was not a priority. Another social critic simply described the budget as a ridiculous way of mocking the poor Cameroonian tax payer.

Many others lauded the idea of the colloquium, saying it would be a sign of gratitude to Cameroon’s First Lady who has done so much to humanity.

They, however, took exception to the overbilling which they claim members of the organising committee have done to make money.

“This budget is indecently high because the organisers will not be renting any hall.

They will have a free hall in Soa with a good public address system. The resource persons will come from the university community in Yaounde, so, why are they allocating huge sums of money for them?” one of them fumed.

Critics went wild with talk that such huge sums of money were going to be shared to individuals at a university campus that has problems of electricity, water, and toilets.

According to sources at the Ministry of Higher Education, Joel Narcisse Meyolo, who, like Chantal Biya, hails from Nanga Eboko in the Centre Region, first nursed the idea.

It was intended to award the First Lady an Honorary Doctorate Degree. The Post learnt that when he shared the idea with many of his colleagues, he was advised to meet officials of the Yaounde University II in Soa.

He reportedly went there when the Rector of the Yaounde University, Prof. Ibrahima Adamou, was on holiday. The first person he sold the idea to was the Technical Adviser to the Rector, Jean Claude Tchouanke.

The Post was told that many officials of the university found the idea very interesting. They decided rather to organise a colloquium as opposed to the original idea of awarding the First Lady an Honorary Doctorate Degree.

Some of them reportedly suggested that the Prime Minister’s wife, Lynda Yang, be made part of the occasion so that it would be easy to bring in her husband to chair the event.

Thus, the Vice Rector in charge of Internal Control and Evaluation, Come Ebana Mvogo and the Vice Rector in charge of Teaching, Professionalisation and Development, Adolphe Minkoa She, decided to send out appeal letters for the sponsorship of the colloquium.

They are said to have succeeded in getting the approval of the Prime Minister.

It is reported that when the Yaounde University Rector, Prof. Ibrahima Adamou came back from break, he found a letter from the Secretary General at the Prime Minister’s Office, indicating that the Head of Government will chair the event.

The Rector was reportedly perplexed, given that he was not aware of what was going on. He decided to present the issue to his boss, the Minister of Higher Education, Prof. Jacques Fame Ndongo.

It was at this point that the Minister learnt about the issue and that one of his collaborators was the main initiator of the colloquium.

Observers are wondering if the colloquium will truly honour Cameroon’s First Lady, given that it has generated a lot of tongue wagging.

Many hold that anything in honour of the First Lady who is imbued with the milk of human kindness is not supposed to generate so much controversy.

One critical varsity don, Dr. Eric Mathias Nguini Owona, has told off negative critics, stressing the relevance of the colloquium.

Cameroonpostnewsline

 

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Rita Akana

16.Oct.2016

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The wife of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari says she may not back her husband at the next election unless he shakes up his government.

Aisha Buhari told the BBC in a interview published on Friday that her husband did not know most of the government officials he had appointed, and that many had been nominated due to the influence of a few people.

Her husband, a 73-year-old former military ruler, was elected last year after a campaign largely fought on his pledge to crush the Islamist militant group Boko Haram and crack down on corruption. He has not said whether he will seek re-election in 2019.

Nigeria, which has Africa's largest economy, is in recession for the first time in 25 years, largely due to a fall global oil prices, which has slashed the state's main source of income. 

"He is yet to tell me but I have decided, as his wife, that if things continue like this up to 2019, I will not go out and campaign again and ask any woman to vote like I did before. I will never do it again," she said in the interview.

She said people who did not share the vision of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), had been appointed to senior positions because of the influence wielded by a "few people".

"The president does not know 45 out of 50, for example, of the people he appointed and I don't know them either, despite being his wife of 27 years," Aisha Buhari said.

On the issue of whether the president was in charge, she said: "That is left for the people to decide."

Reuters

 

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Rita Akana

14.Oct.2016

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Thirty people were killed and over 50 others were injured when violence erupted Wednesday in the Central African Republic, the U.N. said.

Fighters with the former Seleka rebel group attacked the town of Kaga-Bandoro before eventually being repelled by U.N. peacekeepers, who killed 12 of the rebels. Nine civilians were also among the dead.

The attack was likely retaliation for a Tuesday killing of a suspected former Seleka member, the peacekeeping mission said in a statement. 

Many ex-Seleka rebels, a group that rose to power in 2013, have reorganized in Kaga-Bandoro after fleeing the capital of Bangui two years ago.

Sporadic clashes between rebel groups in several villages in the Central African Republic are threatening the nation’s fragile peace process.

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Rita Akana

14.Oct.2016

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