Cabral Libii in trouble as leadership tussle rocks PCRN.

The politician is quoted in media reports as having indicated that his goal is to reclaim the party from Hon Cabral Libii. Kona said he founded the party alongside Albert Fleury Massardine, in 2003. 

Kona said he needs to take over the leadership of the party to “reshape it”. He argued that his legal move is not a “judicial complaint” but rather a “complaint aimed at re-organising the PCRN”.

The native of Ndoukoula, Diamare Division, of the Far North Region, further expressed the view tha, he has since been sidelined from the running of the opposition party.

Going by him, he needs to recapture the party to put things in order. Kona also accused Hon Cabral Libii of always taking decisions without consulting him. 

The politician claimed that the National President of the PCRN, Cabral Libii, has been functioning alone, despite his right of being consulted as an honourary and pioneer political bureau member of the party.

The complainant is quoted as having questioned: "How can one comprehend that since 2020, none of the party's five Members of Parliament or mayors, has visited the residence of the founding father? This proves that there is a problem in the party’s management”.

Robert Kona: PCRN Founder

Kona’s prayers 

Going by a document that has gone viral on social media, Kona is praying the court to annul the resolutions of the PCRN congress of May 11, 2019, held in Guidiguis, Mayo-Kani Division of the Far North Region. 

He is arguing that it was a simple meeting with just 11 members in attendance that resulted in Cabral Libii assuming leadership.

Kona holds the opinion that once the court grants his prayers, Hon Cabral Libii will be ejected from office and PCRN founding fathers like him will take over the leadership of the party.

Those close to Hon Cabral Libii are said to have argued that Kona had 90 days to challenge the resolutions of the Guidiguis meeting after the Ministry of Territorial Administration approved it. Reports hold that the case has been programmed for hearing on January 4, 2024.

PCRN MP fires back

An MP of the party, Hon Bienvenu Ndip, of the Nyong and Nkelle Division in the Centre Region, is said to have reacted to the recent development, indicating that issues around the situation of founding fathers were trashed during the configuration’s Extraordinary Congress in Ngaoundere last year.

“We were all in good terms. A commission was even set up to make donations to the founding fathers. The commission is due to deliver its report next month in Kribi at the party's first Ordinary Congress,” Hon Ndip is quoted as having remarked.

As to Kona’s claim of working to recapture the party’s leadership, the lawmaker likened the development to manipulation. 

"We are focused on conquering the presidency of the Republic. We cannot rule out that these are tactics designed to derail us from our ultimate goal; the 2025 presidential election,” he said to have remarked.

With the seeming confusion, the issues over who owns and those to lead the party are expected to be discussed during the Kribi congress of December 15 to 17, 2023.

Political intrigues ahead of presidential polls?

The surfacing of Kona to challenge Hon Cabral’s leadership has been linked by some to the fast-approaching presidential poll. 

Others are arguing that it could be a ploy to destabilise the party and weaken it ahead of the several polls expected in 2025.

The party came to the limelight after the 2020 twin polls, during which it clinched seven councils and five parliamentary seats. 

Cabral Libii, who came third in the 2018 presidential poll, fell out with the Prof Nkou Mvondo-led leadership of the UNIVERS party, under which he contested for the highest office of the land. 

He used his popularity to make the PCRN known and has today become a rising political force nationwide. The claim of Kona, others are saying, could result in several twists and turns as political parties begin mobilising for future elections.

About PCRN

The party was created on February 14, 2003. Kona was the leader of the party but Hon Cabral was voted on May 11, 2019, during the PCRN’s first Ordinary Congress in Kidiguis, as National President of the party.