Cameroon’s long-serving President, Paul Biya, has been declared winner of the country’s October 12, 2025 presidential election, securing a record eighth term in office at the age of 92.

 

The Constitutional Council announced the results on Monday, confirming that Biya won 53.66% of the votes, defeating his main challenger, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who polled 35.19%.

 

“Hereby proclaimed President-elect: the candidate Biya Paul,” declared Clement Atangana, President of the Constitutional Council, during the official results announcement in Yaoundé.

 

Biya’s victory extends his rule to more than four decades, having first assumed power in 1982 following the resignation of his predecessor, Ahmadou Ahidjo. His new seven-year term will keep him in office until 2032, by which time he will be nearing 100 years old.

 

However, the election was overshadowed by widespread allegations of vote-rigging and irregularities raised by the opposition. Bakary, the main opposition candidate, claimed he had actually won 54.8% of the vote, accusing the ruling party of manipulating results.

 

“We reject these falsified results. The people of Cameroon voted for change,” Bakary said in a statement prior to the official announcement, urging supporters to protest peacefully.

 

Tensions escalated in the aftermath of the vote, with reports of clashes between protesters and security forces in Douala, Cameroon’s economic hub. At least four people were killed and over 100 arrested, according to local media and human rights groups.

 

International observers have expressed concerns about the transparency of the electoral process, citing limited access to polling stations in conflict-affected regions and restrictions on opposition campaigns.

 

Despite growing domestic and international criticism, Biya’s ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) maintains that the elections were free and fair, describing the president’s victory as a reflection of the people’s confidence in his leadership.

 

Biya, who is Africa’s oldest and one of its longest-serving leaders, has faced increasing calls for political transition amid mounting economic challenges and separatist tensions in the country’s English-speaking regions.

 

If he completes his new term, Biya will have governed Cameroon for 50 years, making him one of the world’s longest-ruling heads of state.