PCRN leadership tussle: Pro-Robert Kona faction suffers setback in court.

File photo of Robrt Kona posing for the cameras with Biya’s effigy alongside some CPDM supporters

The pro-Robert Kona faction of the opposition Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation, PCRN, has suffered a setback in court. 

 This comes as the Far North Court of Appeal ruled July 4, rejecting its request for stay of execution of the ruling of the Maroua Magistrate Court. 



The court had proscribed its congress of May 25 and 26, 2024. The ruling has further complicated arguments to establish the legality of a supposed congress, which the Kona-led faction of the party later held on Saturday June 1, 2024, in Guidiguis, Mayo-Kani Division.

A video had surfaced after the supposed meeting in which Kona, a retired civil administrator, claimed he was voted National President of the PCRN. 

Kona had also made declarations claiming that he had dismissed the embattled PCRN National President, Hon Cabral Libii, from the party. 

In addition, Kona, said the party had endorsed Biya for the 2025 presidential poll.

To note that the supposed congress had taken place with Kona’s team brandishing a Certificate of Appeal with serial No.897/GC/CA/EN/MRA, obtained from the Registar of the Far North Court of Appeal. 

The document was dated May 23, and signed by the Registrar-In-Chief at the Maroua Court of Appeal, Bouzoune Andre.

 The certificate had only confirmed that Robert Kona, through his lawyer, Barrister Dili Gerard, had deposited an appeal against the ruling of the Maroua Court of First Instance. 

But the faction went ahead to hold a meeting which it qualified then as a congress, while the court had not ruled on the request for stay of execution of the ruling of the lower court.

 

Substantive matter adjourned to August

Meanwhile, according to reports, the substantive matter at the Kaele Magistrate Court in Mayo-Kani Division of the Far North Region, on the legitimacy of Hon Cabral’s leadership of the party, has been adjourned to next month.

To recall that at the heart of the crisis is a legal action, which Kona engaged, at the close of 2023, challenging Cabral Libii’s leadership of the party. 

In the matter, which has suffered several adjournments, Kona is praying the Kaele Magistrate Court to annul the resolutions of the PCRN congress of May 11, 2019, held in Guidiguis. 

He is arguing that the gathering was a simple meeting, with just 11 members in attendance, which resulted in Cabral Libii being handed the PCRN leadership position.

 

 Cabral faction unable to hold congress

The first consequence of the action was a ban on the congress of the Cabral Libii-led faction, which was programmed for Kribi, from December 15 to 17, 2023.

On November 23, the Divisional Officer, DO, of Kribi II Subdivision, Bitanga Bebga Marie, signed an order banning the meeting. Bitanga had cited threats to public peace.  The ban was a U-turn to a go-ahead the administrator had given for the meeting on November 17, 2023, days before Kona surfaced claiming leadership of the party.

 

Atanga Nji backs Kona

While the court is yet to issue a definite ruling, the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, has repeatedly backed Kona, as the legitimate leader of the PCRN.

 Video clips have emerged of the minister addressing governors on July 3, in Yaounde, during which he reiterated that Kona is the rightful owner of the PCRN party. 

Atanga Nji, in the video, without mentioning names, likened Hon Cabral Libii to a babysitter, who was given the party to manage for a while. He insisted that there is no argument about who is the leader of the PCRN, making an analogy that even if a DNA were to be done like in the case of a child, it is at the Ministry of Territorial Administration that it will be done.

 

MINAT boss’ ranting “inconsequential”

In a release dated July 4, Barrister Rene Roger Bebe, who is also one of the Vice Presidents of the PCRN, urged supporters of the party to remain focused. 

Bebe described the recurrent outings of Minister Atanga Nji, in relation to the PCRN leadership dispute, as being “irresponsible and “inconsequential”. 

The lawyer and politician said the party is focused on ensuring citizens massively enroll on the voters’ register, in line with the change that is being anticipated.

 

 

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3163 of Tuesday July 9, 2024

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