Can this world's most aged president retain the title and attract a country of youthful voters?

The planet's most aged head of state - nonagenarian Paul Biya - has promised the nation's electorate "the future holds promise" as he pursues his eighth consecutive presidential term this weekend.

The 92-year-old has stayed in power since 1982 - an additional 7-year mandate could extend his reign for half a century until he will be almost a century old.

Election Issues

He resisted broad demands to leave office and faced criticism for making merely one public appearance, devoting much of the campaign period on a ten-day unofficial journey to the European continent.

Negative reaction over his reliance on an AI-generated campaign video, as his challengers actively wooed constituents directly, prompted his quick return north upon his arrival.

Young Voters and Joblessness

It means that for the great bulk of the population, Biya remains the sole leader they experienced - above 60% of the nation's thirty million people are younger than the quarter century mark.

Youthful political activist Marie Flore Mboussi strongly desires "different faces" as she maintains "longevity in power typically causes a type of complacency".

"Following four decades, the people are tired," she declares.

Young people's joblessness remains a specific issue of concern for most of the candidates running in the election.

Almost 40% of young residents aged from 15 to 35 years are jobless, with twenty-three percent of recent graduates experiencing problems in obtaining official jobs.

Rival Candidates

Beyond youth unemployment, the electoral process has also stirred dispute, especially with the exclusion of a political rival from the presidential race.

The removal, approved by the highest court, was widely criticised as a strategy to stop any strong challenge to the incumbent.

12 aspirants were approved to vie for the presidency, featuring Issa Tchiroma Bakary and another former ally - the two ex- Biya associates from the northern region of the nation.

Voting Challenges

Within the nation's English-speaking North-West and Southwest regions, where a protracted separatist conflict continues, an election boycott lockdown has been enforced, paralysing business activities, transport and schooling.

Insurgents who have enforced it have threatened to target individuals who participates.

Starting four years ago, those working toward a independent territory have been fighting government forces.

The fighting has to date killed at no fewer than 6k people and compelled approximately 500,000 people from their residences.

Election Results

After Sunday's vote, the legal body has 15 days to announce the results.

The interior minister has already warned that none of the contenders is authorized to announce winning beforehand.

"Candidates who will attempt to reveal findings of the political race or any self-proclaimed victory against the laws of the country would have crossed the red line and must prepare to receive consequences commensurate to their offense."