Cameroon's president Biya to contest presidential elections

Cameroon's incumbent President Paul Biya on Sunday officially submitted his candidature to contest the presidential elections scheduled on Oct. 9 this year. Biya, 78, has been in power since 1982. For the first time ever in the country's history, the voting right was earlier this year extended to Cameroonians resident abroad and the electoral body Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) had deployed teams to 33 countries in Africa, Europe, Asia and America to register fellow countrymen and women for the coming poll. It is estimated that there are 4 millions Cameroonians living abroad. In 1996, the incumbent president modified the country's constitution to extend the presidential term of office from five to seven years, limiting one man's mandate to two terms. In 2008, the constitution was amended to unlimit the terms of office.