Monatélé municipality: Léon Onana’s court case for CPDM congress adjourned to April 17

The court case between Léon Theiller Onana, a municipal councillor of the ruling party from the Monatélé commune, in the Centre Region and Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) has been adjourned to Thursday, April 17, 2025.

The court case which was initially programmed for Friday, April 11, 2025 at Yaoundé Court of First Instance (TPI) lasted briefly, with the judge adjourning the matter for "reciprocal observation of the documents and evidence submitted by both parties," according to Onana's lawyer, Guy Gueyo Kamga. 

Kamga presented the court with documents verifying Onana's CPDM membership and his status as a municipal councilor in Monatélé, a municipality in the Centre region's Lekié department. 

In response, the CPDM, represented by a team of three lawyers led by Louis Gabriel Eyangoh, filed submissions challenging the summary proceedings judge's jurisdiction in the case. 

At the next hearing, scheduled for next week, both parties will present observations after reviewing the submitted documents. The judge will then determine whether oral arguments are necessary. 

Onana aims to demonstrate that President Paul Biya's term as CPDM head expired in December 2021, and he insists a congress must be held to renew the mandate before the upcoming presidential election. 

However, the issue remains sensitive within the CPDM. No congress date has been announced, despite party statutes mandating the event every five years; the last congress was held in 2011. 

“The militants are fully aware that the holding of a congress whatever its nature will inevitably take place in due time, in strict accordance with the party’s statutory provisions," said Jean Nkuete, Secretary-General of the CPDM Central Committee, in a recent interview with the Cameroon Tribune. 

Onana's party colleagues have expressed open disapproval. The municipality's Mayor, Prosper Mbassi, has formally requested explanations for Onana's repeated absences from the last six municipal council meetings. 

According to a party colleague who preferred not to be named, said Onana's potential expulsion from the Monatélé municipal council is now under consideration. 

BY MICHAEL ANGE

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Léon Theiller Onana, Municipal councillor at Monatélé Council