Can the world's most aged president retain the title and attract a nation of young electorate?

The world's most aged head of state - nonagenarian Paul Biya - has promised the nation's voters "the future holds promise" as he aims for his 8th consecutive term in office this weekend.

The 92-year-old has stayed in office since 1982 - another 7-year mandate could see him rule for 50 years reaching almost 100.

Election Controversies

He resisted widespread calls to leave office and faced criticism for attending just one rally, using the majority of the political race on a week-and-a-half unofficial journey to the European continent.

Negative reaction concerning his reliance on an artificial intelligence created campaign video, as his challengers courted constituents on the ground, led to his hurried travel north on his return home.

Young Voters and Unemployment

Consequently for the vast majority of the citizenry, Biya has been the exclusive ruler they remember - above 60% of Cameroon's 30 million people are under the quarter century mark.

Youthful political activist Marie Flore Mboussi urgently wants "new blood" as she thinks "prolonged leadership naturally results in a kind of complacency".

"After 43 years, the people are weary," she says.

Youth unemployment has been a specific talking point for most of the aspirants competing in the election.

Approximately 40% of young residents aged from 15-35 are unemployed, with 23% of young graduates encountering difficulties in securing official jobs.

Opposition Candidates

Beyond youth unemployment, the electoral process has also stirred dispute, particularly regarding the exclusion of an opposition leader from the election contest.

The disqualification, approved by the Constitutional Council, was broadly condemned as a tactic to prevent any serious competition to President Biya.

12 contenders were cleared to contest for the presidency, featuring a former minister and a previous supporter - both previous Biya associates from the northern region of the nation.

Election Difficulties

In Cameroon's Anglophone North-West and South-West areas, where a extended separatist conflict persists, an election boycott closure has been established, halting economic functions, movement and education.

The separatists who have enforced it have threatened to target people who participates.

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

The fighting has to date resulted in at least six thousand individuals and compelled nearly half a million people from their houses.

Election Results

Once polling concludes, the Constitutional Council has two weeks to declare the findings.

The interior minister has earlier advised that no aspirant is permitted to declare victory in advance.

"Those who will seek to announce results of the political race or any self-proclaimed victory against the laws of the nation would have broken rules and should be ready to receive consequences commensurate to their offense."