At 92, Cameroon’s Biya confirms 2025 Presidential interest

Cameroon’s long-serving President, Paul Biya, has officially declared his intention to contest for an eighth term in office in the country’s upcoming presidential election scheduled for October 12, 2025.

The 92-year-old leader, who has held power for nearly 43 years, made the announcement on Sunday via his verified X handle, formerly known as Twitter.

In both English and French, Biya assured Cameroonians of his unwavering commitment to steering the country through its current challenges.

“I am a candidate for the 12 October 2025 presidential election. Rest assured that my determination to serve you is commensurate with the serious challenges facing us,” his post read.

“Together, there are no challenges we cannot meet. The best is still to come.”

While it had been widely expected that Biya would be the flagbearer of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), concerns about his advanced age and declining health have fuelled debates over his ability to continue leading the nation effectively.

In recent months, two significant figures within Biya’s political circle defected from his camp.

Employment Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary resigned from his position in June and declared his presidential ambition under the banner of his party, the Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon (FSNC).

Similarly, former Prime Minister Bello Bouba Maigari, who was an ally of Biya for nearly three decades, announced his candidacy for the National Union for Democracy and Progress (NUDP).

In addition to them, other prominent figures such as Maurice Kamto, who emerged as Biya’s main challenger in the 2018 presidential election, and Cabral Libii of the Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation (CPNR) have also declared their interest in contesting.

Candidates have until July 21 to formally declare their intention to run.

However, the fractured state of the opposition remains a major obstacle to mounting a unified challenge against the ruling party.

Meanwhile, Cameroonians continue to lament issues such as widespread youth unemployment, high living costs, poor infrastructure, and occasional violence, especially in the country’s English-speaking regions.

AFP.