ELECAM, the body responsible for organizing elections in Cameroon, has approved a list of thirteen candidates for the upcoming presidential election, confirming the candidacy of incumbent President Paul Biya, who has been in power for 42 years.
On Saturday, July 26, the Electoral Council of ELECAM validated the final list of candidates for the presidential election scheduled for October 12, 2025. A total of thirteen political figures were selected, including outgoing President Paul Biya, who is running for re-election.
Meeting in Yaoundé for its third session, ELECAM’s Electoral Council unanimously approved the applications deemed to be in accordance with electoral law.
This decision formalizes an unprecedentedly diverse electoral race, notably confirming the participation of major figures such as Paul Biya of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), Bello Bouba Maigari (National Union for Democracy and Progress, UNDP), Joshua Osih Nambangi (Social Democratic Front, SDF), Cabral Libii (Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation, PCRN), and Akere Muna (UNIVERS).
ELECAM’s announcement comes two weeks after Paul Biya officially declared his candidacy, having held power since 1982.
In a message broadcast on July 13, he stated: “I am a candidate in the presidential election of October 12, 2025. My determination to serve you matches the gravity of the challenges we face. The best is yet to come.”
The Cameroonian president justified his decision by citing the “urgent expectations” expressed by both the population and the diaspora, reaffirming that the security and well-being of Cameroonians remain his “sacred mission.” By decree signed on July 11, he convened the electorate for the vote.
The electoral campaign is set to begin in the coming weeks, according to the timetable established by ELECAM.
