Achidi Achu In Court Over Newspaper Article On Inoni/Marafa

No one can negate the name, ‘Simon Achidi Achu’ in Cameroon’s politics, even though he was not like John Ngu Foncha, Solomon Tandeng Muna who played a major rule at Foumban and the reunification, but just Prime Minister and Head of Government (1992-96). These were the turbulent years of the reintroduction of multi-party politics in Cameroon. Pa Achidi was probably fortunate because he hailed form same region and village with the main opposition leader, Ni John Fru Ndi. Within CPDM circles, he remains a reference. He even goes on record as the first ever former minister whom President Paul Biya granted him audience. Today Pa Achidi serves as a ‘reserve officer’ and keyplayer in major actions/decisions of the state. Last weekend, Chronicle gathered that the former PM was enraged and had decided to drag a local English tabloid to court.

Pa Achidi, Chronicle gathered has been red over a newspaper story, insinuating that if President Paul Biya consulted him, Chief Ephraim Inoni and Marafa Hamidou Yaya, wouldn’t have been arrested. The former PM may have/not made the pronouncement. Yet, the present heat which Marafa has been creating with letters he releases, could be the source. Marafa’s letters, Chronicle is aware has shaken the Biya regime provoking divers strategies to curb its effect.

Chronicle gathered that Pa Achidi could have been irked by the fact that the newspaper headline must have caused him dearly, he decided to resort to legal redress.

A close aide to Pa Achidi told Chronicle that the newspaper would answer questions in court over the authenticity of the story. But following Chronicle’s investigations, the author of the story in question stands by the facts in the story. He told Chronicle last Thursday that the former Prime Minister made more embarrassing statements that what was published. He confessed to Chronicle that he stands by his facts, which he said were recorded in an interview and pictures taken.

The author of the article said he would stand in court to bedisproved by Achidi Achu, that he never made the statement he was quoted for. He said despite the recorded interview, he was not alone, while undertaking the interview. He cited two of his other colleagues of different news organs who accompanied him to Pa Achidi’s Rock Farm residence.

When Chronicle even accosted the other two colleagues, they were embarrassed by the fact that Pa Achidi could attempt to denounce what he personally pontificated.

Chronicle was told that the journalists stormed Rock Farm to urge the former PM to have his reactions on celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the unitary state last May 20th. The three (3) were at Rock Farm last May 19. According to the tabloid, ‘the former Prime Minister suggested that it would be far better to cause those charged with embezzling state funds to be asked to pay back the money embezzled in exchange for their freedom’. The tabloid further pinpointed that the former PM was worried that the ‘continuous arrest of personalities who have served the state at very high levels is not only infringing on the integrity of the government as a whole but it is also fueling social tension as Cameroonians are getting more interested in what they may think is a political crisis’. These are the issues which Chronicle gathered Achidi Achu is not comfortable with, thus seeking legal redress.