Disconnected the cable and the shifter clicks and does move the end of the cable into different positions inside the brifter [just like on wifey working brifter], but when the cable is connected, the shifter is not able to maintain the cable pull against the spring load of the FD.
Doused with WD 40 but this does not seem to be a problem of something jammed but rather something NOT ratcheting strongly enough. Dunno if the explanation is clear enough.