Paul Biya: Na im go rule Cameroon until e reach 99 years old?
Di President of Cameroon, Paul Biya, wey be di oldest head of state for di world, don dey hold power for over four decades, and e just start im eighth term.
Seven full terms back-to-back. Over four decades for power. And e never finish. Paul Biya, wey be long time president for Cameroon, just start new term we fit keep am for office reach 99 years.
At 92, Biya na oldest president for world, and only small number of leaders don enjoy this kain long stay for power. How e take do am?
'E smart well, especially for politics. E sabi how to play the game,' Dr Therence Atabong Njuafac, political analyst for Cameroon, tell TRT Afrika.
Na game e don dey play pass four decades. For 1982, Biya be small-time politician when Cameroon first President Ahmadou Ahidjo suddenly resign.
Biya step in and
e no step out again.
E don survive plenty coup attempts, out-smart rivals, and suppress separatist movement for the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon.
How e gather power for im hand
'No matter how you dey cry, e dey get solution for your problem,' Njuafac talk.
According to Ahmadou Shehou Orges, strategy wey Paul Biya dey use na to put important government institutions
under im watch and put im people to run dem.
'Na centralisation of power — na wetin e do to remain for power. Most important sectors for the country dey under Biya. The Constitutional Council, everything dey answer to am,' Shehou Orges tell TRT Afrika.
When dem change constitution for 2008 wey remove term limits, na so case close. Biya fit rule till e die.
'So no limitation. No mandate limitation for the president, parliamentarians, or officials. Dem fit stay, dem fit rule as dem want... for life,' Shehou Orges talk.
As Biya start im 8th term, the main opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary and him supporters still dey challenge the president victory wey dem announce for 12 October elections.
Opposition wey don weak
People dey compare Biya rule to chess game — slow, strategic, and patient. Him supporters dey talk say e keep Cameroon steady for area wey dey volatile. But critics talk say the kind 'stability' wey e bring don cost democratic space. Opposition voices dey often quiet or dem don weak.
'Dis idea of multipartism na strategy to scatter the opposition. Na one of the clever ways Biya take stay for power,' Njuafac talk.
Biya born for 1933 to missionary parents for southern Cameroon. E bin dream say e go be priest. Instead, e study law and politics for Paris and later find im calling for power.
Now, as e start another term, eyes don again land on Cameroon and the man wey don control the political chessboard for over 40 years. For the world's oldest presidency, every move matter.