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This planet's most aged head of state - 92-year-old Paul Biya - has assured Cameroon's voters "the future holds promise" as he aims for his eighth consecutive term in office this weekend.

The elderly leader has already been in power for over four decades - another seven-year mandate could see him rule for half a century making him almost 100.

Election Controversies

He ignored numerous appeals to step down and has been criticised for attending just one public appearance, devoting much of the political race on a ten-day private trip to Europe.

A backlash over his reliance on an AI-generated political commercial, as his opponents sought voters directly, saw him rush to the northern region upon his arrival.

Young Population and Unemployment

This indicates for the large portion of the citizenry, Biya remains the sole leader they remember - above sixty percent of the nation's 30 million inhabitants are below the age of 25.

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

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

Youth unemployment has been a specific issue of concern for most of the aspirants competing in the election.

Approximately forty percent of young residents aged from 15 to 35 years are without work, with twenty-three percent of young graduates encountering difficulties in obtaining regular work.

Opposition Candidates

Beyond youth unemployment, the voting procedure has created controversy, particularly regarding the removal of a political rival from the leadership competition.

His exclusion, approved by the highest court, was broadly condemned as a tactic to block any significant opposition to the current leader.

Twelve contenders were approved to vie for the leadership position, featuring an ex-government official and Bello Bouba Maigari - both ex- Biya associates from the north of the nation.

Voting Difficulties

Within the nation's Anglophone North-West and Southwest territories, where a long-running insurgency continues, an voting prohibition closure has been enforced, stopping business activities, movement and learning.

Insurgents who have enforced it have threatened to attack people who participates.

Starting four years ago, those attempting to establish a separate nation have been clashing with government forces.

The fighting has to date resulted in at no fewer than 6,000 individuals and caused almost half a million people from their houses.

Election Results

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

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

"Candidates who will try to reveal findings of the presidential election or any unofficial win announcement contrary to the regulations of the nation would have broken rules and need to be prepared to encounter consequences appropriate for their crime."