Cameroon Journal is reporting that an authoritative source, who pleaded not to be named, has hinted the Journal that negotiations with the national chairman of the Social Democratic Front, SDF, party are well on course for his First Vice, Joshua Osih, to be endorsed as the main opposition party’s candidate for the forthcoming presidential election.

Cameroon Journal says their source adequately informed them that the negotiations for Fru Ndi to endorse Osih is being done by a caucus within the party made up of some members who address themselves as “the group of wise men.”

The caucus, the journal said, just rounded off a nationwide tour of the SDF basic structures to test the popularity of their national chairman and have come to the conclusion that Fru Ndi remains popular within the party ranks but that majority opinion suggests that he (Fru Ndi) should rather hold Osih’s hand and present him as the man to stand for the next presidential polls on the party’s ticket.

Cameroon Journal maintains that going by the caucus’ findings, Fru Ndi remains the best man to hold the SDF strong but that it will be “disastrous” for him to be invested as the party flag bearer in 2018 given his advanced age of 75 and the dislike the French have for him. Fru Ndi celebrated his 75th birthday last July 7, 2016. “The caucus found out that Fru Ndi’s popularity as national chairman of the SDF remains intact but where his popularity is dwindling is when he’s suggested as presidential material in the next election,” said our informant by telephone.

Cameroon Journal wrote ” It is on this basis, and coupled with Joshua Osih’s sterling qualities of youthfulness, dynamism and intelligence, that the SDF “group of the wise” is urging Fru Ndi to endorse the Member of Parliament from Wouri centre, Osih, their sourced explained.

The said caucus further reveals that Fru Ndi is 100 percent certain of the reasons advanced to him by the Council of Wise.

BaretaNews had always opined that for the SDF to gain back its lost soul, the current Chairman though popular should step at side and embrace a change in the SDF. This will galvanise militants across the board as well as independents. There have been many calls from Cameroons youth on Joshua to run as President come 2018 elections. Joshua Osih himself had said that if the party wants him to run, he will run. However, it remains to be seen if Fru Ndi will finally give in.

However, BaretaNews hates the notion of handing power to anyone just like that. The SDF should have a free and fair process void of any favouritism so that party militants can freely and democratically elect their Presidential candidate. We do understand that Fru Ndi has a voice and a big role because of the personality cult he has created around him. We understand that should Fru Ndi holds the hands of any candidate, it is likely that such candidate will sail through. We of BaretaNews opines that the democratic process should be left to play. 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

God is still saying something.