2019 Ambazonian leadership crisis

Following the arrest of the Ayuk Tabe cabinet in January 2018 in Nigeria, Samuel Ikome Sako was elected the acting president of the Interim Government.[5] His presidency saw attempts to unite the separatist camp under one roof (notably the creation of the Southern Cameroons Liberation Council in April 2019[6]), but faced criticism for alleged incompetence, divisiveness and misappropriation of funds.[7]

On May 2, 2019, Ayuk Tabe - still in prison - declared that the Sako-led cabinet had been dissolved, and that the cabinet led by himself had been restored. While the document recognized the Sako cabinet for its sincere efforts, it claimed that it was ultimately not fit to continue;[4]

Considering that despite all efforts by well-meaning Ambazonians responding to my appeals to keep the Interim Government afloat by accommodating the caretaker cabinet while these issues of infighting in the struggle involving grave improprieties both in the management of material and human resources are sorted out, the caretaker cabinet has lost the ability to reconcile our people and, in doing so, has imperiled the identity and mission of the interim government to complete the decolonization of Southern Cameroons through advancing our collective national interests.

It is incumbent on me as a servant-leadership fiduciary to bring redress to the Southern Cameroons-Ambazonians, to their struggle and their nation, from their slow descent into a footnote of our own history.

I hereby declare and direct that the caretaker cabinet is forthwith dissolved and that, the cabinet as was in office on January 5th 2018, when myself and parts of the leadership were abducted be reconstituted, restored and reactivated.

At some point after making this declaration, Ayuk Tabe reached out to former SDF parliamentarian Wirba Joseph, asking him to assume leadership of the revolution. Wirba declined the request, believing the Interim Government to be an "imaginary structure" and detrimental to the cause.[8]

However, the Sako-led cabinet did not recognize Ayuk Tabe's authority to dismiss the interim cabinet, and consequently refused to step down. In June 2019, the Ambazonia Restoration Council "impeached" Ayuk Tabe for "treasonous misconduct", and declared that he had lost his mandate to speak on behalf of Ambazonia.[3]

The leadership crisis complicated the already delicate allegiances among Ambazonian separatist movements. The Ambazonia Governing Council (AGovC), which traditionally has had a complicated relationship with the Interim Government, voiced support for Ayuk Tabe.[2] Wirba Joseph called the impeachment of Ayuk Tabe "absurd".[8] In November 2019, pro-separatist sources reported that Sako and his supporters had changed his title from Acting Interim President to President, aiming to permanently replace Ayuk Tabe even if the latter would ever be released.[9]

The leadership conflict effectively led to the emergence of two governments, each claiming to be the legitimate one. This complicated the prospect of any direct talks with the Cameroonian government. During the later half of 2019, talks were held between the Sako-led faction of the Interim Government and the Cameroonian government, with Switzerland acting as a mediator.[10] These talks ultimately failed, and it became clear that the Ayuk Tabe-led faction was the most influential.[11] In July 2020, Cameroonian officials met with Ayuk Tabe to discuss a ceasefire. The Sako-led faction responded to the meeting by declaring that prisoners cannot negotiate. The AGovC, which had supported Ayuk Tabe against Sako, took a similar stance.[12]

On 13 October 2020, Ayuk Tabe called for settling the dispute and cooperating against Cameroon.[1] Ikome Sako reiterated his refusal to recognize Ayuk Tabe's cabinet, stating that "there is only one Interim Government". He further insisted that Ayuk Tabe declare the dissolution of his cabinet before any reconciliation could take place.[13][14]