Ken Akpan
The world's oldest serving and eldest President, Paul Biya of Cameroon, 92, has declared his intention to run once more for re-election in October, 2025, aiming to extend his 43 years in power.
Biya has been serving as the second democratically-elected President of Cameroon since 1982.
"Rest assured that my determination to serve you matches the urgency of the challenges we face," he said in a post on X, on July 13, 2025.
He added that his decision to go for an eighth term came after "numerous and insistent" calls by people from all regions in Cameroon and the diaspora.
Biya's administration has faced criticism over allegations of corruption and embezzlement, as well as accusations of bad governance and failure to tackle security challenges. There have also been concerns about his health and ability to govern.
His absence from the public for more than six weeks last year being 2024, led to speculations about his well-being and unfounded rumours that he had died.
His candidacy was expected but not formally confirmed until his recent social media post.
Biya has never lost an election since taking power in 1982 and if he won another seven-year term, he could be president till he clocks almost 100 years.
There have been growing calls from inside and outside Cameroon for him to step aside and give way for fresh leadership in the central African nation.
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Biya's candidacy follows a recent political divorce from key allies from the northern regions, who had been crucial in helping secure votes in previous elections from that part of the country.
Two of these men - prominent minister, Issa Tchiroma Bakary and former Prime Minister, Bello Bouba Maigari - recently quit the ruling coalition and separately announced plans to run in the awaited election.
Last month, Tchiroma said the Biya administration he belonged to had "broken" public trust and he was switching to a rival party.
Multiple opposition figures, including 2018 runner-up, Maurice Kamto, as well as Joshua Osih, Akere Muna, and Cabral Libii, have also announced their candidacies in the impending polls.
However, members of the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM), among other supporters, have since last year publicly called for Biya to seek another term. He was already the de-facto candidate as the party leader.
It's noteworthy that the 92-year-old Biya abolished term limits from the country’s Constitution in 2008, enabling him to seek the presidency position indefinitely.
He won the 2018 election with more than 71% of the entire votes, though opposition groups lamented there were widespread irregularities that characterized the electoral exercise.
