Can this world's oldest leader retain the position and woo a nation of youthful electorate?

This world's oldest leader - nonagenarian Paul Biya - has pledged Cameroon's electorate "the best is still to come" as he aims for his eighth straight presidential term this weekend.

The 92-year-old has remained in power since 1982 - an additional seven-year mandate could keep him in power for 50 years reaching almost 100.

Election Controversies

He defied broad demands to leave office and has been criticised for only showing up for a single campaign event, devoting much of the election season on a 10-day unofficial journey to Europe.

Negative reaction regarding his use of an AI-generated election advertisement, as his opponents actively wooed voters on the ground, led to his hurried travel to the northern region after coming back.

Young Population and Joblessness

This indicates for the large portion of the people, Biya is the only president they have known - above sixty percent of the nation's thirty million inhabitants are younger than the 25 years old.

Youthful political activist Marie Flore Mboussi strongly desires "fresh leadership" as she thinks "extended rule typically causes a type of inertia".

"With 43 years passed, the citizens are tired," she says.

Employment challenges for youth has been a specific talking point for most of the candidates participating in the vote.

Nearly forty percent of young Cameroonians between 15 and 35 are without work, with 23% of recent graduates encountering difficulties in finding official jobs.

Opposition Contenders

In addition to youth unemployment, the voting procedure has generated debate, particularly regarding the exclusion of a political rival from the leadership competition.

The disqualification, approved by the legal authority, was widely criticised as a strategy to stop any serious competition to the incumbent.

A dozen aspirants were cleared to compete for the country's top job, featuring an ex-government official and Bello Bouba Maigari - each former Biya colleagues from the northern region of the country.

Voting Challenges

Within the nation's English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions, where a extended separatist conflict persists, an election boycott restriction has been imposed, stopping commercial operations, movement and education.

Insurgents who have established it have promised to attack people who participates.

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

The fighting has so far caused the deaths of at least 6,000 people and forced approximately five hundred thousand others from their residences.

Election Results

Following the election, the highest court has two weeks to declare the outcome.

The interior minister has already warned that no aspirant is permitted to announce winning in advance.

"Candidates who will attempt to declare outcomes of the presidential election or any self-proclaimed victory contrary to the laws of the nation would have violated boundaries and must prepare to receive penalties matching their offense."