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

The planet's most aged leader - nonagenarian Paul Biya - has promised the nation's voters "the best is still to come" as he seeks his 8th straight presidential term on Sunday.

The nonagenarian has already been in office for over four decades - an additional 7-year term could see him rule for 50 years reaching almost a century old.

Campaign Controversies

He ignored numerous appeals to step down and drew backlash for making merely one rally, devoting much of the campaign period on a ten-day unofficial journey to the European continent.

Criticism concerning his use of an artificial intelligence created campaign video, as his opponents sought voters on the ground, prompted his quick return north on his return home.

Young Voters and Unemployment

Consequently for the great bulk of the citizenry, Biya is the only president they remember - above 60% of Cameroon's thirty million people are under the 25 years old.

Youthful campaigner Marie Flore Mboussi strongly desires "fresh leadership" as she believes "prolonged leadership inevitably leads to a type of complacency".

"With 43 years passed, the population are tired," she declares.

Youth unemployment has become a particular discussion topic for most of the candidates participating in the vote.

Nearly 40% of youthful citizens between 15 to 35 years are jobless, with twenty-three percent of young graduates experiencing problems in finding official jobs.

Rival Candidates

Beyond youth unemployment, the electoral process has created controversy, particularly regarding the removal of an opposition leader from the election contest.

The removal, confirmed by the legal authority, was generally denounced as a ploy to block any significant opposition to President Biya.

12 candidates were cleared to vie for the country's top job, including an ex-government official and a previous supporter - both ex- Biya allies from the north of the country.

Voting Difficulties

In Cameroon's Anglophone Northwest and South-West areas, where a extended insurgency persists, an voting prohibition restriction has been enforced, stopping commercial operations, transport and learning.

The separatists who have established it have promised to attack people who does vote.

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

The violence has to date killed at minimum 6,000 people and forced approximately 500,000 others from their residences.

Election Results

After Sunday's vote, the Constitutional Council has 15 days to declare the results.

The interior minister has previously cautioned that none of the contenders is permitted to announce winning in advance.

"Individuals who will seek to reveal findings of the leadership vote or any unofficial win announcement in violation of the laws of the republic would have violated boundaries and should be ready to face retaliatory measures commensurate to their offense."