 In 1994, the Bamenda Declaration of large members of the AAC decided to work toward secession rather than autonomy.This resulted the next year in the creation of the Southern Cameroon People's Conference (SCPC) formed as an umbrella organization bringing together student, trade organizations, and political organizations committed to independence, rather than a return to autonomy.The Southern Cameroons National Council was the elected body in charge of organizing SCPC efforts with the initial chairman being Sam Ekontang Elad.