Equatorial Guinea: Africa's Longest Serving President Teodoro Obiang to Seek New Term

Teodoro Obiang, the president of Equatorial Guinea, who has led the country for more than 43 years, is the longest serving head of state in the world, excepting monarchs.

Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has led the country for more than 43 years, will run for a sixth term in the November presidential elections, according to a statement by the vice president and incumbent president’s son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, on Friday.

“Because of his charisma, leadership and political experience, the Executive Board of the PDGE has unanimously elected Teodoro Obiang as the candidate who will represent the party in the presidential elections on November 20,” Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue wrote on Twitter.

The president’s Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) currently holds 99 of the 100 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and all 70 in the Senate.

The president himself has never received less than 93 percent of the vote in an election.

Previously, there had been debate over whether Teodoro Obiang or his son would run for the presidency.

Equatorial Guinea earlier moved up its presidential election to November 20, calling it for the same day as the parliamentary elections.

"The presidential, Chamber of Deputies, Senate, and municipal elections are called for November 20, 2022," as per a decree of the head of state, broadcasted on Equatorial Guinea's state television.

The decree justified the decision to move the date as necessary “to group together costly polls” amid economic hardships due to Western sanctions on Russia over its special military operation in Ukraine, along with the COVID-19 pandemic, per Africanews.