The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) the joint-largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fifth-largest party in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has been challenged to explain why he abandoned Northern Ireland amid a political crisis for a trade mission to Cameroon.

Sir Jeffrey made his first visit to Cameroon this week after being named as trade envoy last summer. The Northern Ireland politician visited a divided nation described by Transparency International as the most repressive and corrupt state in Africa.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was seen posing for the camera with the controversial Chief Ekoko Mukete whose chieftaincy title is still being contested deep within the Bafaw Royal Family in Kumba and he is considered by many English speaking Cameroonians as a traitor.  

Dolores Kelly of the Social-Democratic Irish Nationalist Political Party in Northern Ireland (SDLP) has been quoted as saying “it was unforgivable for DUP leader to make the trip during crisis” in his own country.

Founded in 1971 during the Troubles by Ian Paisley, who led the party for 37 years, the DUP currently led by Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is badly in need of decent man to run its affairs.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai with files from Belfast Telegraph