Will this planet's oldest president retain his title and woo a country of young electorate?

The planet's most aged head of state - 92-year-old Paul Biya - has assured the nation's electorate "better days are ahead" as he seeks his 8th consecutive presidential term on Sunday.

The nonagenarian has remained in office for over four decades - an additional 7-year term could keep him in power for half a century until he will be almost 100.

Election Controversies

He defied widespread calls to step down and drew backlash for making merely a single campaign event, using the majority of the election season on a week-and-a-half personal visit to Europe.

Negative reaction regarding his reliance on an computer-generated election advertisement, as his challengers courted voters on the ground, saw him rush north upon his arrival.

Young Population and Unemployment

Consequently for the great bulk of the people, Biya remains the sole leader they have known - more than 60% of Cameroon's thirty million residents are under the 25 years old.

Youthful advocate Marie Flore Mboussi urgently wants "fresh leadership" as she maintains "longevity in power naturally results in a type of complacency".

"With 43 years passed, the people are weary," she says.

Youth unemployment has been a specific talking point for nearly all the contenders participating in the election.

Almost 40% of youthful citizens aged from 15 and 35 are without work, with 23% of recent graduates facing challenges in securing formal employment.

Opposition Contenders

Beyond young people's job issues, the voting procedure has also stirred debate, notably concerning the disqualification of a political rival from the election contest.

His exclusion, confirmed by the legal authority, was broadly condemned as a tactic to stop any strong challenge to President Biya.

Twelve candidates were authorized to vie for the country's top job, featuring Issa Tchiroma Bakary and Bello Bouba Maigari - the two former Biya allies from the northern region of the country.

Election Challenges

Within the nation's Anglophone Northwest and Southwest areas, where a long-running insurgency persists, an poll avoidance lockdown has been established, stopping business activities, movement and schooling.

The separatists who have enforced it have threatened to attack people who casts a ballot.

Since 2017, those working toward a independent territory have been clashing with official military.

The violence has so far resulted in at least six thousand people and caused approximately five hundred thousand residents from their residences.

Vote Outcome

Once polling concludes, the legal body has two weeks to announce the results.

The security chief has earlier advised that no aspirant is permitted to announce winning prior to official results.

"Individuals who will seek to reveal findings of the presidential election or any self-proclaimed victory against the rules of the nation would have violated boundaries and need to be prepared to receive consequences commensurate to their violation."