The Minister of Territorial Administration, Atanga Nji Paul was absent at Tuesday’s opening court session and is thus expected to appear today for the matter to proceed. He could however be represented given that the trial is taking place at the administrative court.

“The matter was adjourned to April 17, 2019 at 10:00am due to the absence of the Minister of Territorial Administration,” Bibou Nissack, Maurice Kamto’s spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday.

The CRM seized the Administrative Courts on April 9 in Douala and April 10 in Yaoundé to reverse the April 5 decision of the Minister of Territorial Administration banning nationwide protests the opposition political party had envisaged from April 6 to April 13, 2019.

Yakouba Mamadou, First Vice President of the CRM party said in a statement that instead of going frontal on the Yaoundé regime, they have decided to seek legal redress to overturn Minister Atanga Nji Paul’s decision. He went on to suspend an April 13 nationwide protest initially planned by the party.

“…We thank and congratulate you [CRM members and sympathizers] for your enthusiastic militancy and support. We are equally aware of your mobilization towards the nationwide demonstrations planned for April 13. In this light, we have noted with consternation the illegal decision of the Minister of Territorial Administration contained in an April 5, 2019 communiqué prohibiting our protests. We have decided to attack the said decision before the law courts,” the communiqué dated April 11, 2019 reads in part.

Yakouba Mamadou adds that while the Administrative Court decides on the matter and true to the republican spirit that guides their actions, the public demonstrations initially planned for April 13 will thus take place on a later date.

The CRM First Vice National President says theirs is a struggle to install an authentic democracy founded on a consensual electoral process that respects the choices of the electorate, protects liberties and fundamental rights, protection of the public wealth of the country, and restoration and preservation of peace in the country especially a return to normalcy in the restive North West and South West regions.

Yakouba Mamadou calls on CRM militants to remain mobilized and vigilant especially against those who are organizing a coup against democracy, peace and stability of Cameroon.

Justice Jean-Paul Nguimout of the Administrative Court for the Centre Region is expected to preside at today’s session and look into the merits of the CRM case when his court opens at 10 o’clock today.

Nevertheless, the Minister of Territorial Administration Atanga Nji Paul had threatened to apply the dispositions of Law no 90-56 of 19 December 1990 which gives him the power to suspend or ban a political party should the CRM leave him with no other choice.