CAMEROON’S 92-year-old President Paul Biya has announced he would seek re-election in the upcoming election scheduled for October 12.
The world’s oldest serving head of state made the announcement in a post on his official X account on Sunday, July 13.
“I am a candidate in the presidential election. Rest assured that my determination to serve you matches the urgency of the challenges we face,” the post said.
His bid for re-election was widely expected, but not officially confirmed until his social media post on Sunday.
Members of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) and other supporters had been publicly urging Biya to run for another term since 2024.
However, opposition parties and some civil society groups argued that his prolonged rule has hindered both economic progress and democratic growth.
Biya, who is aiming for another term that could see him remain in power until he is nearly 100, first assumed office in 1982 following the resignation of his predecessor, Ahmadou Ahidjo.
He is Africa’s second longest-serving president, after Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea. He has stayed in power for over 43 years.
In 2008, Biya removed presidential term limits, allowing him to seek re-election indefinitely. He secured victory in the 2018 election with 71.28 percent of the vote, although opposition parties claimed the process was marred by widespread irregularities.
However, his disappearance from the public for 42 days last year fueled rumours about his health and remains a frequent subject of speculation.
Later that year, in October, when Biya returned to Cameroon, the government insisted he was in good condition. It banned any public discussion of his health, declaring it a national security issue.
The ICIR reports that the country announced on July 11, 2024, that the presidential election was scheduled to hold on October 12.
Several opposition figures have also announced their candidacy, including 2018 runner-up Maurice Kamto of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, Joshua Osih of the Social Democratic Front, lawyer Akere Muna, and Cabral Libii of the Cameroon Party for National Reconciliation.
Similarly, several of Biya’s longtime allies resigned from the ruling party to contest against their principal.
Most of the citizens have condemned Biya’s extended grip on power and are calling for electoral reforms to guarantee a free and fair vote in 2025.
The ICIR reports that the cocoa and oil-rich country, which has had only two presidents since gaining independence from France and Britain in the early 1960s, could face a turbulent succession crisis if Biya becomes too ill to govern or passes away.
Cameroon has grappled with economic challenges facing and multiple security threats under Biya’s leadership, including a prolonged separatist crisis in its English-speaking regions and persistent attacks by the Islamist insurgent group Boko Haram in the North.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.