BaretaNews within the last days has come under serious criticisms from some major stakeholders within the political realm in the Cameroons. While we of this platform welcome such criticisms because we think criticisms are part of the political discourse which helps to make a nation grow as it is a learning process. However, it is necessary that when criticisms are made, it is justified while setting the records straight. We are indeed happy that as time moves on, BaretaNews is contributing to the political discourse as we set out to publish information, analyze political events and give our own ideas as defined by our editorial policies. However, not everyone will accept with us. This is what makes democracy beautiful.

That said, we have been reliably informed that on Thursday, 21st July 2016 over the national station, CRTV, BaretaNews was condemned by the SDF crew over the political forum debate for spreading false and unverified rumors about Joshua Osih, SDF Vice National Chairman on taking over the mantle of the party. Did BaretaNews spread false information about the SDF and Joshua Osih? Did we follow journalistic norms in reporting the story? Let us set the records straight.

On Thursday 14th July 2016, the Guardian Post no. 0969 in their lead story wrote, ” SDF SET TO ENDORSE JOSHUA OSIH AS CANDIDATE !” On the same day, Cameroon Journal, an English online tabloid also reported on the story claiming that a purported “group of wise” were campaigning and lobbying the SDF Chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi to support Joshua Osih as the SDF Presidential candidate. The paper went as far as saying the SDF has within the scene endorse Osih as the SDF candidate in the next election ( see pictures attached below of Guardian Post, read also the link of Cameroon Journal http://www.cameroonjournal.com/national-news/breaking-news-osih-joshua-for-president-in-2018-fru-ndi-said-to-be-ready-to-endorse-him/ ).

Now, BaretaNews is an online news source which is active on social media. We understand that a lot of Cameroonians love and follow BaretaNews and we now understand the frustration from the SDF crew in tagging BaretaNews as spreading false information. It should be noted that BaretaNews reported this news immediately after these two sources have written on it. As usual, BaretaNews always give its own analysis to all news shared. BaretaNews is a platform which is involved in Newsgathering and sharing, analysis and publication. We saw an information shared by the Guardian Post newspaper, the most read English daily paper. It was just ok for BaretaNews to report on that as we always do. Did we follow journalistic principles in this story? Oh yes, we did. You can read the article here as it was published by BaretaNews immediately after these two sources broke the news. In part of it to clear our audience because we did not investigate the story prior to publication, we wrote “Though BaretaNews cannot independently verify this information from Cameroon Journal, it is worth talking about because we expect a clean change in the SDF should they be ready to cause any significant change in 2018” ( see rest of article here http://bareta.press/fru-ndi-endorse-osih-president/)

It, therefore, beats our imagination, why the SDF crew will sit on National TV and throw invectives on BaretaNews that we are spreading false information. BaretaNews is simply doing what the media does best, we are analyzing the situation to engineer debate on social media because that is where our focus is. So BaretaNews wishes to make it clear, we do not spread false information. We only relayed an information and even stated that we cannot independently verify at the time of publication.

However, in a rebuttal to the media, the SDF Shadow Minister in charge of internal affairs disregards such moves by the media and said they are only meant to destabilize the main opposition party. You can read the Minister’s rebuttal here http://bareta.press/war-sdf-shadow-minister-rubbishes-osih/ and our analysis. We understand that a lot of SDF militants picked holes with BaretaNews analysis in reacting to the shadow Minister’s rebuttal and that could have engineered the backlash BaretaNews received from some SDF militants and those who went on National TV to condemn this platform. We would want to make it clear that, we still stand firm to our analysis and we are taking no words back.

Furthermore, as if this was not enough, the Guardian Post Newspaper again within the last two weeks have been conducting a poll from all Cameroonians regardless of their political leanings on who they think could be the best to lead the Social Democratic Front, SDF 2018 Presidential list. In their lead story on Friday, July 22nd edition, they reported that Joshua Osih, First Vice National President of the SDF won the poll to lead the SDF in the 2018 Presidential elections. You can find the article here and our analysis http://bareta.press/osih-favourite-fru-ndi-opinion-poll/

Therefore, if the SDF team thinks BaretaNews is spreading false information, we of this platform thinks otherwise. We just believe the SDF militants are so afraid to see a change within their party so much so that any talks of any person purportedly claiming to challenge the Chairman sends down cold waves through their spines. BaretaNews will continue being the watchdog of all political parties, we would bring the news as it comes regardless of whose ass is axed. We would keep up maintaining the political discuss as we gear up towards the 2018 Presidential elections. BaretaNews supports only one political party- this is the united opposition party. Our criticisms and analysis are because we are so jealous and anxious to see a strong united opposition party to take away Paul Biya, the dictator, so therefore, if it means criticism the opposition on a daily basis until they sit up, we would do. The Cameroons people still believe in the SDF.

God is still saying something.