World News

The Journey Continues: Cameroon’s Paul Biya, Declares to Run for Eighth Term at 92 Years

Published by Tope Fakinlede on July 15th, 2025.

The Journey Continues: Cameroon’s Paul Biya, Declares to Run for Eighth Term at 92 Years

Paul Biya

Cameroon’s long-time leader, President Paul Biya, has announced that he will be contesting the upcoming presidential election scheduled for October 12, 2025. At 92 years old, Biya remains the oldest sitting head of state in the world.

He made the announcement on Sunday through official posts on his Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) accounts, sharing the message in both French and English.

“I will be a candidate in the presidential election on October 12, 2025,” Biya wrote. “My commitment to serving you is as strong as ever, and I believe that together, we can overcome any obstacle. The future holds even greater promise.”

If elected, Biya would remain in power until nearly reaching the age of 100. His leadership began in 1982, making his presidency one of the longest in modern history.

Recently, social media was abuzz with unverified claims of a military coup, which were debunked by TheCable’s fact-checking unit, Cable Check. Such rumors tend to gain traction whenever Biya is absent from public events for extended periods.

In the lead-up to his latest announcement, however, the president has been visibly active online. Similar rumors about his health and alleged death surfaced last year during a long public absence. In response, the Cameroonian government issued a firm denial and banned local media from speculating about his condition, stating that Biya was in good health and spending time in Geneva.