Amanze ChinonyePresident Paul Biya has officially declared his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election scheduled for 12 October 2025, setting the stage for a potential eighth term in office.
The 92-year-old, who has ruled Cameroon since 1982, made the announcement on Sunday.
Join our WhatsApp Channel“I am a candidate in the presidential election of October 2025,” Biya said in his declaration, adding that his decision was in response to “favorable appeals and requests” from citizens across Cameroon’s ten regions and the diaspora.
He pledged that his determination to continue serving is “as strong as the gravity of the challenges” currently facing the nation.
Highlighting security and national well-being as the core of his decades-long presidency, Biya reaffirmed his commitment to stability and development. “Ensuring the security and well-being of the sons and daughters of our dear and beautiful country is the sacred mission to which I have dedicated my time and energy,” he stated. “The results are there. Visible. Appreciable.”
Though acknowledging progress made, Biya stressed that much remains to be done in what he described as an increasingly complex and constrained international climate. He positioned himself as the steady hand Cameroon needs in turbulent times, stating, “Together, there is no challenge we cannot overcome.”
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Biya’s announcement ends months of speculation over whether the long-serving leader would seek another term. He has never lost an election since first assuming office more than four decades ago. In 2008, he abolished presidential term limits, enabling his continued candidacy. His last victory in 2018 was marked by widespread allegations of vote rigging and suppression of opposition voices.
As he prepares to campaign again, Biya faces rising criticism over his leadership, particularly concerning governance, economic stagnation, corruption, and an unresolved separatist crisis in the Anglophone regions. His prolonged absences from public view in recent years have also fueled concerns over his health and fitness to lead.
Still, supporters within his Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) party have continued to rally behind him, portraying Biya as the only leader capable of maintaining national cohesion.
“Together, we will remain united in peace and stability,” he concluded in his candidacy declaration. “The best is yet to come.”
The October vote is expected to be one of the most closely watched in the country’s history, as both domestic and international observers scrutinize Cameroon’s commitment to democratic transition under one of Africa’s longest-serving presidents.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
