President Paul Biya, aged 92, has extended his more than four-decade rule after winning a controversial eighth term in Cameroon’s presidential election held on October 12.
The Constitutional Council announced on Monday, October 27, that Biya secured 53.7% of the votes, defeating his main challenger Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who garnered 35.2%.
Unlike his 11 opponents who actively toured the country during the campaign period, Biya made few public appearances, maintaining his trademark low profile as Cameroon’s “sphinx.”
His re-election campaign, launched on September 27, relied heavily on social media, with critics alleging that some of the visuals used were AI-generated. Most posts on his X (formerly Twitter) account featured archival images and recycled statements from past speeches.
