The political future of Hon. Cabral Libii, candidate in Cameroon’s upcoming presidential election, received a strong boost following a decisive ruling from the Mfou Court in Yaoundé on the 21 July 2025. The court ruled in favour of Libii in his long standing leadership dispute with Robert Kona, effectively cementing his control over the Cameroon Party for National Reconciliation (PCRN).
Cabral Libii, PCRN leader
The judgement bars Kona from using the title “national president” of the PCRN or referring to himself as its “founding president” a designation the court confirmed has no legal basis in the party’s statutes. Furthermore, the court ordered Kona to stop acting on behalf of the party in any official capacity and to bear the legal costs incurred by Hon. Cabral Libii, including those of his counsel, Barrister René Roger Bebe.
This latest court victory marks the culmination of a series of legal battles that have repeatedly affirmed Cabral Libii’s authority as head of the PCRN. The leadership dispute, which has simmered since 2024, was widely seen as an attempt to block Libii’s presidential ambitions, particularly after the PCRN formally endorsed his candidacy for the 12 October 2025 election.
The Mfou ruling follows earlier landmark decisions across multiple jurisdictions:
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Court of Appeal of Maroua (25 September 2024): The court definitively confirmed Cabral Libii as president of the PCRN and ordered Robert Kona to cease all actions taken in the party’s name or as its “founding father”.
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High Court of Kaele (5 September 2024): This court ruling also affirmed Libii’s leadership and dismissed efforts by Kona to invalidate his position as party president.
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Court of First Instance (earlier in 2024): Initially ruled in Libii’s favour, a decision which was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal on 5 September 2024.
The pattern of rulings has consistently reinforced Libii’s legal legitimacy as the head of the PCRN and discredited claims by Kona, who was increasingly viewed as aligning himself with the ruling party. Notably, during the legal saga, Kona and his supporters openly endorsed incumbent President Paul Biya in an action many analysts interpreted as a political manoeuvre to weaken Libii’s base within the opposition.
With the legal challenges now conclusively resolved, Hon. Cabral Libii moves forward with a strengthened mandate from his party and a renewed focus on his campaign for the presidency. His candidacy, officially submitted earlier this July, represents his second run for the nation’s highest office following his historic 2018 debut as the youngest contender in the race.
In recent years, Libii has emerged as one of Cameroon’s most dynamic political figures by first gaining national recognition through the “11 Million Voters” campaign, then entering Parliament in 2020, and later solidifying his ideological vision through the publication of Community Federalism. Despite internal party strife and attacks from political opponents, he has continued to champion reform, youth empowerment, and a decentralised model of governance.
Now, with the courts behind him and the PCRN firmly under his leadership, Cabral Libii stands poised to once again challenge the status quo in what promises to be a highly contested presidential election.
By Nji Ignatius for Hilltopvoices Newsroom with reports
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