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Cameroon President Paul Biya on path to retain world's oldest president title, seeks eighth term in office
Biya, who is currently 92 years old, announced his plans to run for the presidential elections in October 2025 on Monday.
Cameroon's president Paul Biya has announced plans to seek an eight term in office. With this, the president, who is already considered the world's oldest leader, is set to retain his spot.
Biya, who is currently 92 years old, announced his plans to run for the presidential elections in October 2025 on Monday.
"I am a candidate in the presidential election. Rest assured that my determination to serve you matches the urgency of the challenges we face," wrote Biya in his social media posts.
Biya set to retain world's oldest president title
Paul Biya already holds the title of the world's oldest serving head of state. If he secures an eighth term in the October presidential elections, Biya will then be all set to stay in office till he turns 100 years old.
At the age of 92, Biya announced he would run to secure his eight term as President of Cameroon.
A president at the age of 92 will raise concerns for any country. However, in Cameroon, the opposition is more focused on a transition of power and renewal for the country.
Opposition parties have also flagged his public disappearances, and his frequent delegation of responsibilities to the powerful chief of staff of the president’s office.
Along with being the oldest head of state, Biya is also the second-longest-ruling president in Africa, after Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo in Equatorial Guinea. Furthermore, the Cameroon leader is also the second longest consecutively serving current non-royal national leader in the world.
Who is Paul Biya?
Paul Biya first came into power in 1982, almost four decades ago. Biya's term as Cameroon President began after the resignation of Ahmadou Ahidjo. Under Ahidjo, Boya served as the fifth prime minister.
Biya, who is officially the second president of the Central African nation, was reelected in 1992 with 92.6 percent of the vote as the opposition leaders boycotted the vote.
Biya won another seven-year-term as president in 2004. However, with this re-election, Biya was barred due to the two-term limit.
But in 2008, the president scrapped the term limit as he called for a revision of the constitution.
In 2011 and 2018, Biya secured his sixth term and seventh term in office, respectively.
