President of Ambazonia

The president of Ambazonia is the head of state of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, unrecognised breakaway state in West Africa constituting the Northwest Region and Southwest Region of Cameroon, part of the British mandate territory historically known as the Southern Cameroons. No country has yet formally recognized Ambazonia's independence. Ambazonia is currently the site of an armed conflict between Anglophone separatist guerillas and the Cameroonian military known as the Anglophone Crisis. For its whole existence, the presidency of Ambazonia has been a position in exile, as the various pro-independence armed groups have not consistently controlled any territory but are engaged in guerilla campaigns throughout the 16,364 square mile territory.

President of the
Federal Republic of Ambazonia
Flag of Ambazonia
Incumbent
Dr Samuel I Sako
Inaugural holderSisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe
FormationOctober 1, 2017

History
Main article: Anglophone Crisis

On October 1, 2017, Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe, the appointed chairman of the Southern Cameroons Ambazonia Consortium United Front (SCACUF), declared the independence of Ambazonia with himself as president and SCACUF forming the Ambazonia Interim Government.[1] His presidency de facto ended on January 5, 2018, when him and other members of the Ambazonia Interim Government were arrested in Abuja, Nigeria,[2] and extradited to Cameroon on January 26.[3] He has been imprisoned by the Cameroonian government ever since.

Following Tabe's arrest, on February 4, 2018, Samuel Ikome Sako was elected acting interim president[4] by an electoral college comprising the remaining Ayuk Tabe cabinet and representatives from the diaspora. On May 2, 2019 and while under detention, a document signed by Ayuk Tabe declared that the Sako-led interim cabinet had been dissolved, and that his own pre-arrest cabinet had been restored. This move was not recognized by the Sako-led cabinet, which refused to step down, arguing that a leader in detention has no mandate to unseat the elected replacement.[5]

In February 2022, Sako ordered the suspension of the Restoration Council, the legislative arm of the Interim Government. The Restoration Council subsequently impeached Sako, thus widening the long-running Ambazonian leadership crisis.[6] Meeting in Washington DC, 10-13 March 2022, the second Ambazonian Stakeholders Strategic Conference upgraded the Restoration Council to an Interim House of Representatives elected from the 13 counties of Ambazonia and reaffirmed support of Sako as President of Ambazonia. Meanwhile, the Restoration Council, declared United Kingdom based Marianta Njomia as Sako's replacement in the interim.[7]

On September 10 2022, long-term IG spokesperson Chris Anu (brother of deceased separatist general Lekeaka Oliver and former Sako loyalist) declared himself President of Ambazonia. Consequently, the separatist movement found itself with four claimants for president.[8]

List
No. President Tenure
Took office Left office
1 Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe 1 October 2017 4 February 2018
2 Samuel Ikome Sako 4 February 2018 Incumbent[lower-alpha 1]
(1) Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe 2 May 2019 Incumbent[lower-alpha 2]
3 Marianta Njomia 22 February 2022 Incumbent[lower-alpha 3]
4 Chris Anu 10 September 2022 Incumbent[lower-alpha 4]

See also

Notes
  1. Undisputed de jure until 2 May 2019, de facto ever since while it remains disputed whether he is still president de jure.
  2. De jure since 2 May 2019 according to his supporters; Sako remains de facto President. Ayuk Tabe received a life sentence at the Yaoundé Military Tribunal on 20 August 2019.[9]
  3. According to the Restoration Council.[7]
  4. According to the Interim Government faction that supports him.[8]

References
  1. "Several killed in Cameroon as anglophones declare 'independent Ambazonia'". Euractiv. October 2, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  2. Cameroon separatist leader detained in Nigeria as unrest grows. The Guardian, January 7, 2018. Accessed April 19, 2018.
  3. Cameroon govt says detained separatists are in good health, enjoying rights, Africa News, April 10, 2018. Accessed April 28, 2018.
  4. Just In-Dr Samuel Ikome Sako was the New Acting Interim President of The ‘Federal Republic of Ambazonia’, Cameroon News Agency, February 4, 2018. Accessed April 19, 2018.
  5. Cameroon: Confusion as detained Ambazonia leader impeached by peers, Journal du Cameroun, June 12, 2019. Accessed June 12, 2019.
  6. "Restoration Council Impeach Ambazonia President Samuel Sako, Amid Suspension". Cameroon News Agency. February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  7. Crise anglophone: une nouvelle présidente à la tête de la république imaginaire d'Ambazonie, Actu Cameroun, 19 March 2022. Accessed 19 March 2022.
  8. "Cameroon Separatists Elect Their New President". Voice of America. September 13, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  9. Cameroon: Detained Ambazonia leaders handed life sentence, Journal du Cameroun, Aug 20, 2019. Accessed Aug 20, 2019.
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