He could stay in power until he turns 100! The oldest president was elected for the 8th time.

Biya, who has been president since November 6, 1982, announced in July that he would run for an eighth term in the presidential elections in French and English from his X account.

Voting began on October 12, and Biya was once again shown as the favorite against the 11 candidates he faced.

According to the results announced by the vote counting commission, Biya won the election with 53.6 percent of the votes.

His closest rival, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, received 35.1 percent of the vote.

The election commission reported that the results were based on minutes from 58 regional commissions.

Opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary claimed that he won the election with 54.8 percent of the votes and said the following on his social media account:

"Now the people can celebrate their victory because we have won. The people's freedom is non-negotiable."

Cameroon, the Central African nation known for its cocoa and oil production, has seen only two presidents since gaining independence from France and the United Kingdom in the early 1960s.

If Biya falls too ill or dies to remain in office, Cameroon could face a serious power vacuum and a chaotic transition.

Nearly all opposition candidates are criticizing Biya's long stint as president and calling for reforms to ensure fair elections in 2025.

Cameroon, a nation of 28 million, faces numerous economic and security challenges under Biya's rule. Separatist conflicts have been ongoing for years in the English-speaking regions of the country, and the ongoing attacks of the armed group Boko Haram in the north are also contributing factors.

Source: Thorn