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The planet's most aged head of state - 92-year-old Paul Biya - has assured the nation's voters "better days are ahead" as he aims for his 8th straight term in office on Sunday.

The 92-year-old has remained in office since 1982 - another seven-year mandate could see him rule for 50 years making him almost a century old.

Campaign Controversies

He resisted numerous appeals to step down and drew backlash for attending just one rally, devoting much of the campaign period on a ten-day personal visit to Europe.

A backlash regarding his use of an AI-generated political commercial, as his rivals courted voters on the ground, prompted his quick return north on his return home.

Youth Population and Joblessness

Consequently for the vast majority of the population, Biya is the only president they experienced - over 60% of Cameroon's thirty million people are under the quarter century mark.

Youthful advocate Marie Flore Mboussi is desperate for "different faces" as she maintains "extended rule typically causes a sort of inertia".

"Following four decades, the population are exhausted," she states.

Young people's joblessness has become a particular issue of concern for nearly all the contenders competing in the political race.

Nearly forty percent of young Cameroonians between 15 to 35 years are jobless, with twenty-three percent of recent graduates encountering difficulties in securing official jobs.

Opposition Candidates

Apart from young people's job issues, the voting procedure has created dispute, especially with the removal of an opposition leader from the leadership competition.

The removal, approved by the legal authority, was broadly condemned as a tactic to prevent any serious competition to the incumbent.

12 contenders were authorized to vie for the presidency, including a former minister and Bello Bouba Maigari - both ex- Biya allies from the north of the country.

Voting Difficulties

Within the nation's Anglophone North-West and Southwest territories, where a long-running separatist conflict ongoing, an voting prohibition restriction has been imposed, paralysing business activities, transport and schooling.

The separatists who have established it have threatened to target anyone who participates.

Starting four years ago, those seeking to create a separate nation have been fighting official military.

The violence has so far killed at least 6,000 people and compelled approximately 500,000 others from their homes.

Vote Outcome

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

The security chief has previously cautioned that no aspirant is permitted to declare victory prior to official results.

"Those who will seek to announce results of the leadership vote or any unofficial win announcement in violation of the laws of the republic would have crossed the red line and must prepare to encounter penalties commensurate to their violation."