Paul Pia, 92, says he will seek the eighth presidential term Election news

President Pia is the oldest head of state in the world and can stay in office until he is about 100 years old if he wins the October elections.

Cameroon President Paul Bia, 92, has announced plans to run for the eighth period in the presidential elections for this year on October 12.

BIYA, the oldest head of state in the world, announced the announcement of jobs in X on Sunday in French and English.

“I am a candidate in the presidential elections,” he wrote. “Be reassuring that my design on your service matches the urgency of the challenges we face.”

Biya, who is looking for a new period that he can keep in office until he reached the age of about 100, has reached power more than four decades ago in 1982, when his predecessor, Ahmedo Ahidjo, resigned.

His health is the subject of repeated speculation, the last of which was last year when he disappeared from public opinion for 42 days. It was widely expected to be widely re -elected, but it was not officially confirmed until the social media post on Sunday.

BIYA was regularly published on its X handle verification in the advertisement.

In 2018, at first, social media also used to announce his candidacy for the presidential competition for this year, which represents a rare direct participation with the public on digital platforms.

Members of the Popular Democratic Movement (CPDM) called the ruling and other supporters since last year to BIYA to search for another period.

But opposition parties and some civil society groups argue with its long rule have suffocated economic and democratic development. Two former allies left the ruling alliance and announced plans to operate separately in the elections.

“President Pia’s announcement of running again is a clear sign of the stopping political transition of Cameroon. After more than 40 years of power, what the country needs is renewal – not repetition. Cameroon deserves democratic change and responsible leadership.”

The Sunday Declaration will be reviving the debate about the physical fitness of Baya for positions. A public appearance rarely appears, and responsibilities are often published to the Staff Chief of Staff in the President’s office.

Last October, he returned to Cameroon after a 42 -day absence, which raised speculation that he was fine. The government claimed that he was fine, but he banned any discussion about his health, saying it was a national security issue.

BIYA canceled the borders of the term in 2008, wiping the road to run indefinitely. The 2018 elections won 71.28 percent of the votes, although opposition parties claimed widespread violations.

The Central Africa -producing country, which has been facing oil and oil, which has only had heads since independence from France and the United Kingdom in the early 1960s, faces a chaotic succession crisis if it had severe disease so that it cannot remain in the office or death.

Besides BIYA, many opposition figures have announced their intention to run, including the runner -up 2018 Morris Kamto of the Renaissance Movement Cameroon, Joshua Osse from the Social Democratic Front, and lawyer Akry Mona and Kabral Lippie from the Cameroon Party for National Tawfiq.

All of them criticized Biya’s long period as head of state and called for reforms to ensure a fair vote in 2025.

Under BIYA, Cameroon faced economic challenges and insecurity on many fronts, including the separatist conflict drawn up in its English -speaking areas and the ongoing penetration from the Boko Haram armed group in the north.