Cameroon’s electoral commission has formally approved a list of thirteen contenders for the country’s upcoming presidential election, confirming that long-serving President Paul Biya will seek another term as he extends his 42-year grip on power.
The announcement was made on Saturday by the Cameroon Electoral Council (ELECAM) following its third session in Yaoundé.
The body confirmed that all thirteen candidates had met the legal requirements to contest the October 12, 2025, vote, setting the stage for one of the most competitive elections in the nation’s history.
Among those cleared to run are prominent figures including Bello Bouba Maigari of the National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP), Joshua Osih Nambangi representing the Social Democratic Front (SDF), Cabral Libii of the Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation (PCRN), and Akere Muna of the UNIVERS party. President Biya, who leads the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), will once again be on the ballot, a decision that has drawn both fervent support and criticism from across the political spectrum.
Biya, in power since 1982, formally declared his candidacy on July 13, saying: “I am a candidate for the presidential election of October 12, 2025. My determination to serve you is commensurate with the acuteness of the challenges we face.
The best is yet to come.” He defended his decision by citing what he described as “pressing expectations” from Cameroonians at home and abroad, pledging to make national security and citizens’ well-being his “sacred mission.”
The official campaign period is set to begin in the coming weeks under a timetable established by ELECAM. Observers say the election will serve as a critical test of Cameroon’s political stability and governance, as the country grapples with economic pressures, ongoing security concerns, and mounting calls for political renewal.
The October vote will mark Biya’s eighth presidential campaign, potentially extending his tenure as one of the world’s longest-serving heads of state.
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