More secret meetings are still being held at the Unity Palace to find Dion Ngute’s replacement.

Dion Ngute, who became Prime Minister some three years ago, is viewed by the French and Cameroonian authorities as having fallen short of their expectations because he has not been able to douse the fire in the Southwest region.

He was brought in as Head of Government to help disconnect the Southwest Region from the separatist movement that is still tearing the country apart, as a strategy to roll back the revolution.

“Dion Ngute has failed as a Prime Minister. He is a nice person. He is mild mannered and very friendly, unfortunately he has not been able to establish  communication lines with Ambazonian fighters so that some of them could be convinced to down their weapons and return to a state of law,” a source at the presidency told Cameroon Intelligence Report.

“Many people are thinking that Dion Ngute could be replaced by Elung Paul Che, but many others wonder if he has any leverage over the Ambazonia Interim Government and its majority Amba fighters, many of whom pay allegiance to the Southern Cameroonian Diaspora,” he stressed.

“We need peace in Cameroon and many Cameroonians hold that if the post of vice president is created, it should be given to someone who can talk to the Diaspora and has much leverage over the separatists,” he underscored.

“We are hearing that the president and his men are seriously looking abroad for someone with vast knowledge and experience who can help  change things on the ground. The intelligence community has it that many Southern Cameroonians working in international organizations have much leverage as they help to finance the fighters. Bringing one of such persons into government might cut the fighters off some of their finances, making it possible for them to come to the negotiating table,” the source, who is a senior government official, said.

“The focus is now on Southwesterners in international organizations. The hawks in government hold that someone who is moderate and not tainted by the corruption in Yaoundé could be a welcome relief. The search for a real Southwesterner is even extended to some who are on retirement and the key factor here is they must be capable of talking with both the separatists and federalists,” he said.

“The hawks in government know that the mismanagement in Cameroon has put the government at odds with major global development finance institutions. They think that bringing someone from the world of finance and development will help the government to clean up its image,” the source added.

“There are a few Northwesterners who could be considered for this position, but it is feared they will not be supported by pro CPDM Southwesterners in Yaounde and that they lack the cloud that can help to bring the separatists back to the fold,” he pointed out.

“The African Development Bank, the African Union and the UN have some good Southwesterners. They are knowledgeable, they have been in the civil service and have been connected to the struggle in different ways, but their handicap is that they are loose cannons and electrons which cause doubts in the minds of the government hawks,” he stressed.

“I have been reliably informed that government delegations are currently in Abidjan and Addis Ababa to gather more intelligence on some people whose names are on the list. Things are moving very fast and change is really in the offing,” our source pointed out.

“Change is coming to Yaounde and it is bringing with it a lot of confusion and fear. We only hope we will get the right people. We need people who are trust-worthy. People who can silence the guns in the two English-speaking regions of Cameroon,” he said.

“While the French keep on pushing for the return of Abouem à Tchoyi, Cameroonians clearly think that Anglophones deserve the position of vice president and the next president should come from the English-speaking minority,” he furthered.

“We don’t need to ruin our country. We just need someone who will unite the country and bring about development in the country,” he concluded.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

The long-awaited cabinet reshuffle will soon be released and many southwesterners will end up being unhappy, as Dion Ngute is on his way out.

Though hated by Southwest separatists, the current prime minister, Dion Ngute, has his supporters who think he should still be in government. But Biya and the international community think differently. He has not been up to the task a source at the UN told the Cameroon Concord News Group’s editor-in-chief.

According to the international community and France, Dion Ngute has outlived his usefulness. The Biya government thought Dion was capable of disconnecting the Southwest region from the separatist movement, but the Ndian Division native has not been able to unite Southwesterners for more than three years. On the contrary, he has been a lightning rod for controversy.

The Southwest Diaspora is totally against Dion Ngute as it is being publicly alleged that he has not done anything for his people. He has not been to his native Ndian since he became the Prime Minister.

Also, Dion has never sought to talk to the Southwest Diaspora which has been financing the fighting in his region of birth and this makes it hard for the dying Biya regime to keep him as the Prime Minister, a source told the Cameroon Concord News Group.

According to a source at the country’s Presidency, Dion’s fate has been decided and he will be promptly replaced by a Francophone, presumably by someone from the north who is expected to calm down northerners who have been planning to slaughter Betis once Biya disappears.

Dion’s departure has been made a lot easier by the need to appoint a vice president who will succeed Biya in the event of a vacancy.

A Cameroon Concord News Group source at the Presidency has said that the Biya regime is still looking for a Southwesterner who will be capable of serving as a vice president. For now, it is hard to find a credible Southwesterner at home.

The source added that the French are insisting on an establishment Southwesterner but most credible and presidential Southwesterners are out of the country. They are working abroad and many of them are not loyal to the government.

The government is looking at Southwesterners in international organizations, especially those who can have an influence on separatists.

The French are worried about losing Cameroon and they hold that a moderate Southwesterner could help calm down tempers in the two English-speaking regions of the country.

The Source hinted that a list of Southwesterners in international organizations such as the African Development Bank, the African Union, the United Nations and the World Bank is being studied at the Presidency.

Many names have been floated but the fear is that will those in international organizations be capable of protecting those who have been very loyal to Biya over the last forty years?

While it is difficult to find a very reliable Southwesterner at the international level, the French are suggesting that Abouem à Tchoyi could also make a good successor because of his deep understanding of the government and the Anglophone problem  which is tearing the country apart.

Abouem à Tchoyi has served as governor in the two English-speaking regions of the country and he understands the issues. He is supported by Anglophones because he knows the issue, but he is from the center region and this makes things complicated, the source said.

Currently, a few names from the African Development Bank and the United Nations are being analyzed. The fear is that those being considered are loose electrons. Will they be able to work according to French dictates? the source asked.

There is tension at the Unity Palace. Most Betis who are close to the regime are scared. Any Anglophone is feared. They know many Anglophone Cameroonians feel hurt and may not give the Betis the protection they need at this time.

For now, the die has been cast for Dion Ngute. Cameroon needs to remain united and indivisible and only an Anglophone vice president can make that happen.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

President Paul Biya is set to replace the Dion Ngute cabinet that was appointed to resolve the crisis in Southern Cameroons.

Cameroon Concord News sources hinted this after the President had a valedictory meeting with some top barons of the ruling CPDM party at the Unity Palace on Tuesday.

According to our sources, Biya has indicated that he would immediately form a government that will oversee a peaceful transition to the new generation.

He reportedly thanked some of the ministers including Prime Minister Dion Ngute for their services to the nation, expressing confidence that giving the experience they have garnered in the services of government, they are equipped to help Cameroon again when the need arises.

This item is still developing

By Rita Akana in Yaoundé