Jean-Bernard Ndongo Essomba
Encyclopedia
Jean-Bernard Ndongo Essomba is a Cameroon
ian politician. He was President of the Parliamentary Group of the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement
(RDPC) in the National Assembly of Cameroon
from 1992 to 1997 and he has held that post again since 2002.
(UNC) by President Paul Biya
(acting in his capacity as President of the UNC) in May 1984. When the UNC was transformed into the RDPC at the March 1985 party congress in Bamenda
, Ndongo Essomba was retained as one of the 65 full members of the RDPC Central Committee; he was also designated as Second Deputy Secretary for Trade Unions.
Local elections were held in October 1987; they were notable for the fact that multiple RDPC lists were allowed to run in the same constituencies, thus providing a measure of political competition within the context of the single-party system. Ndongo Essomba headed a list in the rural commune of Sa'a, located in the Centre Province.
In the March 1992 parliamentary election
, he was elected to the National Assembly as an RDPC candidate in the Lekié
constituency of Centre Province; following that election, he was President of the RDPC Parliamentary Group from 1992 to 1997. He sought to be nominated again as an RDPC candidate in Lekié for the 1997 parliamentary election
, but he was defeated in an RDPC party primary by a list headed by Antoine-Louis Ntsimi.
Prior to the June 2002 parliamentary election
, Ndongo Essomba again participated in the RDPC party primary in Lekié. In the primary, held on 9–10 May 2002, the list headed by Ndongo Essomba narrowly defeated the list led by Ntsimi; it received 2,587 votes against 2,505 for Ntsimi's list. After winning a seat in the National Assembly, Ndongo Essomba was elected as President of the RDPC Parliamentary Group when the National Assembly began meeting for its new term in August 2002.
, Ndongo Essomba was re-elected to the National Assembly as an RDPC candidate in Lekié East constituency. He was retained in his post as President of the RDPC Parliamentary Group when the National Assembly began meeting for the new parliamentary term.
In April 2008, when the National Assembly approved changes to the constitution that eliminated term limit
s on the Presidency, thereby allowing President Biya to run for re-election in 2011, Ndongo Essomba said that the changes deserved "the enthusiastic support of all Cameroonians of good faith". He argued that they would "enhance democracy, maintain political stability, national unity and territorial integrity" and that they were "in tune with international accepted standards as practised in old democracies such as France
and the United Kingdom
". The constitutional changes were furiously denounced by the opposition.
Ndongo Essomba is a member of the RDPC Political Bureau.
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
ian politician. He was President of the Parliamentary Group of the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement
Cameroon People's Democratic Movement
The Cameroon People's Democratic Movement is the ruling political party in Cameroon.-History:Previously known as the Cameroon National Union, which had dominated Cameroon politics since independence in 1960, it was renamed in 1985...
(RDPC) in the National Assembly of Cameroon
National Assembly of Cameroon
The National Assembly is the parliament of Cameroon. It has 180 members, elected for five-year terms in 49 single and multi-seat constituencies....
from 1992 to 1997 and he has held that post again since 2002.
Political career before 2007
Ndongo Essomba, a businessman, was the Third Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Mines (Chambre de commerce, d'industrie et des mines, CCIM) as of 1984. He was appointed to the Central Committee of the Cameroon National UnionCameroon National Union
The Cameroon National Union was Cameroon's sole legal political party until 1990...
(UNC) by President Paul Biya
Paul Biya
Paul Biya is a Cameroonian politician who has been the President of Cameroon since 6 November 1982. A native of Cameroon's south, Biya rose rapidly as a bureaucrat under President Ahmadou Ahidjo in the 1960s, serving as Secretary-General of the Presidency from 1968 to 1975 and then as Prime...
(acting in his capacity as President of the UNC) in May 1984. When the UNC was transformed into the RDPC at the March 1985 party congress in Bamenda
Bamenda
Bamenda, also known as Abakwa and Mankon Town, is a city in northwestern Cameroon and capital of the North West Province. The city had a population of 269,530 at the 2005 Census, and is located 366 km north-west of the Cameroonian capital, Yaoundé...
, Ndongo Essomba was retained as one of the 65 full members of the RDPC Central Committee; he was also designated as Second Deputy Secretary for Trade Unions.
Local elections were held in October 1987; they were notable for the fact that multiple RDPC lists were allowed to run in the same constituencies, thus providing a measure of political competition within the context of the single-party system. Ndongo Essomba headed a list in the rural commune of Sa'a, located in the Centre Province.
In the March 1992 parliamentary election
Cameroonian parliamentary election, 1992
Parliamentary elections were held in Cameroon on 1 March 1992. They were first multi-party elections for the National Assembly since 1964, although they were boycotted by the Social Democratic Front and the Cameroon Democratic Union. The result was a victory for the ruling Cameroon People's...
, he was elected to the National Assembly as an RDPC candidate in the Lekié
Lekié
Lekié is a department of Centre Province in Cameroon.The department covers an area of 2,989 km² and had a total population of 354,864...
constituency of Centre Province; following that election, he was President of the RDPC Parliamentary Group from 1992 to 1997. He sought to be nominated again as an RDPC candidate in Lekié for the 1997 parliamentary election
Cameroonian parliamentary election, 1997
Parliamentary elections were held in Cameroon on 17 May 1997. The result was a victory for the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement, which won 116 of the 180 seats, including seven constituencies in which the result had originally been cancelled by the Supreme Court due to serious...
, but he was defeated in an RDPC party primary by a list headed by Antoine-Louis Ntsimi.
Prior to the June 2002 parliamentary election
Cameroonian parliamentary election, 2002
Parliamentary elections were held in Cameroon on 30 June 2002. The result was a victory for the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement, which won 149 of the 180 seats. In 17 constituencies the result was cancelled by the Supreme Court due to irregularities and the election re-run on 15...
, Ndongo Essomba again participated in the RDPC party primary in Lekié. In the primary, held on 9–10 May 2002, the list headed by Ndongo Essomba narrowly defeated the list led by Ntsimi; it received 2,587 votes against 2,505 for Ntsimi's list. After winning a seat in the National Assembly, Ndongo Essomba was elected as President of the RDPC Parliamentary Group when the National Assembly began meeting for its new term in August 2002.
2007 election and subsequent events
In the July 2007 parliamentary electionCameroonian parliamentary election, 2007
A parliamentary election was held in Cameroon on 22 July 2007, with some polls held again on 30 September 2007. 1,274 candidates stood for the 180 seats in the National Assembly, with 41 parties participating...
, Ndongo Essomba was re-elected to the National Assembly as an RDPC candidate in Lekié East constituency. He was retained in his post as President of the RDPC Parliamentary Group when the National Assembly began meeting for the new parliamentary term.
In April 2008, when the National Assembly approved changes to the constitution that eliminated term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
s on the Presidency, thereby allowing President Biya to run for re-election in 2011, Ndongo Essomba said that the changes deserved "the enthusiastic support of all Cameroonians of good faith". He argued that they would "enhance democracy, maintain political stability, national unity and territorial integrity" and that they were "in tune with international accepted standards as practised in old democracies such as France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
". The constitutional changes were furiously denounced by the opposition.
Ndongo Essomba is a member of the RDPC Political Bureau.