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This world's most aged head of state - 92-year-old Paul Biya - has promised Cameroon's electorate "the best is still to come" as he pursues his eighth consecutive presidential term on Sunday.

The nonagenarian has remained in power since 1982 - an additional 7-year mandate could extend his reign for half a century reaching almost 100.

Campaign Controversies

He defied widespread calls to leave office and drew backlash for attending just one rally, devoting much of the campaign period on a 10-day personal visit to Europe.

Negative reaction over his reliance on an AI-generated campaign video, as his rivals courted supporters in person, led to his hurried travel to the northern region upon his arrival.

Youth Voters and Joblessness

It means that for the large portion of the citizenry, Biya has been the exclusive ruler they remember - more than sixty percent of Cameroon's thirty million inhabitants are younger than the age of 25.

Young campaigner Marie Flore Mboussi strongly desires "fresh leadership" as she believes "longevity in power inevitably leads to a sort of laziness".

"Following four decades, the citizens are weary," she declares.

Employment challenges for youth has been a specific talking point for most of the contenders running in the political race.

Almost forty percent of young residents aged from 15 to 35 years are jobless, with 23% of young graduates facing challenges in securing regular work.

Opposition Candidates

Apart from youth unemployment, the electoral process has created controversy, particularly regarding the disqualification of a political rival from the leadership competition.

His exclusion, upheld by the highest court, was broadly condemned as a strategy to stop any strong challenge to the current leader.

12 candidates were cleared to compete for the leadership position, including a former minister and a previous supporter - each ex- Biya allies from the northern region of the country.

Voting Challenges

In Cameroon's English-speaking North-West and Southwest regions, where a long-running separatist conflict ongoing, an poll avoidance lockdown has been established, stopping business activities, transport and schooling.

Rebel groups who have imposed it have threatened to target people who does vote.

Starting four years ago, those working toward a breakaway state have been fighting official military.

The fighting has so far resulted in at minimum 6,000 lives and forced nearly five hundred thousand residents from their homes.

Vote Outcome

Once polling concludes, the highest court has 15 days to declare the outcome.

The interior minister has earlier advised that no aspirant is authorized to declare victory beforehand.

"Those who will try to declare outcomes of the political race or any self-proclaimed victory in violation of the laws of the republic would have broken rules and should be ready to receive retaliatory measures matching their violation."