Can the world's most aged leader keep the title and woo a nation of young electorate?
The planet's most aged head of state - nonagenarian Paul Biya - has pledged the nation's voters "the best is still to come" as he pursues his eighth consecutive term in office on Sunday.
The nonagenarian has stayed in office for over four decades - an additional seven-year mandate could keep him in power for half a century making him almost 100.
Campaign Controversies
He resisted numerous appeals to leave office and has been criticised for making merely one rally, devoting much of the campaign period on a ten-day personal visit to the European continent.
Negative reaction regarding his dependence on an artificial intelligence created political commercial, as his challengers sought supporters on the ground, saw him rush north after coming back.
Youth Voters and Unemployment
This indicates for the vast majority of the citizenry, Biya remains the sole leader they experienced - over 60% of Cameroon's thirty million inhabitants are below the quarter century mark.
Young advocate Marie Flore Mboussi is desperate for "new blood" as she believes "prolonged leadership typically causes a sort of laziness".
"With 43 years passed, the population are weary," she states.
Young people's joblessness has been a particular discussion topic for the majority of the candidates competing in the election.
Nearly 40% of young citizens aged from 15 and 35 are without work, with 23% of college-educated youth encountering difficulties in securing formal employment.
Rival Contenders
In addition to youth unemployment, the electoral process has also stirred controversy, notably concerning the removal of an opposition leader from the presidential race.
The removal, upheld by the highest court, was widely criticised as a ploy to block any serious competition to President Biya.
A dozen contenders were cleared to vie for the leadership position, comprising an ex-government official and another former ally - the two former Biya allies from the north of the country.
Election Challenges
Within the nation's English-speaking Northwest and South-West territories, where a extended separatist conflict persists, an voting prohibition lockdown has been enforced, paralysing commercial operations, travel and schooling.
Insurgents who have imposed it have threatened to harm individuals who does vote.
Beginning in 2017, those working toward a separate nation have been battling government forces.
The conflict has so far killed at no fewer than six thousand individuals and forced approximately half a million residents from their homes.
Election Results
Once polling concludes, the highest court has fifteen days to reveal the outcome.
The interior minister has earlier advised that none of the contenders is allowed to claim success prior to official results.
"Candidates who will seek to announce results of the presidential election or any unofficial win announcement in violation of the rules of the republic would have broken rules and must prepare to encounter consequences appropriate for their crime."
