Court rubbishes Kona’s claim to PCRN leadership.

The ruling was made during a court hearing on September 5, 2024. 

It came after 10 months of infighting that has stalled several activities within the opposition PCRN party. 

Before then, the Maroua Court of First Instance, had in a separate ruling annulled the congress of the PCRN, which Kona had programmed in Maroua, for May 25 and 26 this year. 

The ruling had surfaced on May 21, 2024, but the Kona-faction went to Guidiguis, Mayo-Kani Division, where it staged what it called a congress and announced the dismissal of   Cabral Libii and several others from the party.

The Maroua Court of First Instance had indicated in its May 21 ruling that the statutes of the PCRN did not recongise the appellation of ‘founding president’ 

It is thus a second legal battle Kona, who is one of the founding fathers of the PCRN, is losing against Hon Cabral Libii.

Cabral Libii says ruling triumph of truth

Reacting to the ruling, the embattled National President of the PCRN, Hon Cabral Libii, wrote on his X (formerly twitter) handle, that justice has been served and the truth has triumphed.

"We are grateful to God for His guidance and blessings. We commend the justice system for its unwavering commitment to upholding the Republic's principles,” Cabral Libii wrote.

He appreciated Barrister Rene Roger Bebe for holding briefs for him and the party. 

Besides being a lawyer, Barrister Bebe is also one of the National Vice Presidents of PCRN.

Meanwhile, the Kona faction of the PCRN is yet to make any public statement in reaction to the court ruling. 

Before now, the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, had issued a statement and also wrote to the election management body, Elections Cameroon, ELECAM, indicating that Kona was the leader of the PCRN.

  PCRN Co-founder, Robert Kona 

Revisiting Kona’s failed prayers 

It should be recalled that Kona had on December 27, 2023, sued Cabral Libii and 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 had argued that the gathering was a simple meeting with just 11 members in attendance.

The said meeting, it should be said, resulted in Cabral Libii assuming the leadership of the PCRN.

Kona had expressed optimism that the court would grant his prayers, leading to the ejection of Cabral Libii from the PCRN leadership.

Kona’s claim ruined PCRN congress

The surfacing of Kona to battle for the leadership of the PCRN has cost the party much. The first deadly blow was the banning of a congress, which Cabral Libii and his supporters had planned in Kribi for December 15 to 17, 2023.

The administration had been granted authorisation on November 16, 2023, for the PCRN to hold the congress. But on November 24, 2023, the same administration withdrew the authorisation, citing tension within the party, which it said then posed a threat to public peace.

Yet, even in the midst of the court cases, the Cabra Libii faction of the party had also made known its intention to reschedule the congress to Foumban in the Noun Division of the West Region. It is left to be seen if it will go ahead with such an agenda.

Storm over for Cabral Libii?

Observers are already reading extra meaning into the recent court ruling, questioning if it will be the end of nightmares for Cabral Libii’s presidential ambitions.

Many PCRN supporters and officials had long argued that Kona’s claims were not unconnected to moves to stop Cabral Libii from running for the office of President in 2025.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3225 of Tuesday September 10, 2024