"What Biya Couldn't Do in 43 Years, He Won't Do Now" -
Dr Fomunyoh

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

_{Dr Christopher Fomunyoh, Senior Associate for Africa, Regional Director and Special Adviser to the President at the Washington-based National Democratic Institute}

BUEA, Cameroon - In a deeply critical interview on Nigeria's Channels TV, Dr Christopher Fomunyoh, Senior Associate for Africa, Regional Director and Special Adviser to the President at the Washington-based National Democratic Institute (NDI), did not mince words in reacting to President Paul Biya's announcement of his candidacy for an eighth term in office.

"He cannot be telling Cameroonians now that what he has not accomplished in 43 years of power, he's going to be able to accomplish in the next seven years when he's more than 92 years old. It's unacceptable," Dr Fomunyoh said.

Describing Biya's bid for re-election at the age of 92 as "humiliating to the 30 million Cameroonians," Dr. Fomunyoh warned that the country is being driven toward yet another national crisis under a leader who has held power for more than four decades.

"It is challenging to explain that someone at 92 would want to seek re-election and serve another seven-year term in a country whose population is made up of mostly young people and where the average age is 19," said Fomunyoh.

Biya, the world's oldest head of state, who has ruled Cameroon since 1982, made his latest re-election announcement via a social media post, stating that "the best is yet to come." However, Fomunyoh scoffed at that claim, saying the president's past campaign promises have remained unfulfilled, particularly in areas such as national unity, governance, economic development, and peace.

_{Fomunyoh cautioned that young Cameroonians might eventually lose faith in democratic means}

"He has always made those promises on the eve of every election, and there's no reason to believe that after 92, if he had another mandate, that he would not be able to implement what he's not been able to do in the past four decades of being at the helm of state, Fomunyoh stated, adding, "it beats my imagination why he would be doing this to himself, to his family, and to a country that he claims to love and respect."

Spiralling insecurity, staggering youth unemployment

Dr Fomunyoh further highlighted key failings under Biya's leadership: spiralling insecurity in the Far North and East, the protracted crisis in the North West and South West Regions, staggering youth unemployment, endemic corruption, and a failing state apparatus unable to meet the aspirations of its youthful population.

"If you look at indicators from Transparency International and other international organisations with regards to governance, with regards to issues of corruption and embezzlement, those issues are very high, and Cameroon scores very poorly under his leadership," Fomunyoh said.

"If he hasn't been able to resolve these issues, and if Cameroon today is not one of the shining stars of the African continent, he cannot tell us that it's when he's 92 years old and beyond that he's going to be able to do that."

_{Biya, Africa's oldest head of state, who has ruled Cameroon since 1982, said "the best is yet to come."}