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

The elderly leader has already been in office for over four decades - another 7-year term could keep him in power for 50 years making him almost 100.

Campaign Controversies

He ignored broad demands to step down and faced criticism for making merely a single campaign event, using the majority of the election season on a ten-day private trip to the European continent.

A backlash regarding his use of an computer-generated campaign video, as his rivals courted voters directly, led to his hurried travel north on his return home.

Youth Population and Unemployment

It means that for the vast majority of the people, Biya is the only president they remember - more than 60% of the nation's thirty million people are below the age of 25.

Young advocate Marie Flore Mboussi urgently wants "fresh leadership" as she maintains "extended rule typically causes a sort of laziness".

"With 43 years passed, the population are exhausted," she declares.

Youth unemployment remains a specific talking point for nearly all the contenders competing in the vote.

Almost 40% of youthful Cameroonians aged from 15-35 are unemployed, with 23% of college-educated youth facing challenges in obtaining regular work.

Rival Candidates

In addition to youth unemployment, the electoral process has created dispute, particularly regarding the exclusion of an opposition leader from the election contest.

The removal, confirmed by the highest court, was broadly condemned as a strategy to block any serious competition to the current leader.

Twelve aspirants were authorized to contest for the presidency, featuring an ex-government official and a previous supporter - both ex- Biya allies from the northern region of the country.

Voting Difficulties

In Cameroon's Anglophone North-West and Southwest territories, where a long-running separatist conflict continues, an voting prohibition lockdown has been established, halting economic functions, travel and learning.

The separatists who have enforced it have promised to target anyone who casts a ballot.

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

The fighting has to date killed at least 6,000 individuals and compelled almost five hundred thousand residents from their residences.

Vote Outcome

After Sunday's vote, the Constitutional Council has fifteen days to reveal the outcome.

The security chief has earlier advised that no aspirant is permitted to announce winning prior to official results.

"Those who will try to reveal findings of the leadership vote or any personal declaration of success in violation of the regulations of the country would have crossed the red line and should be ready to receive retaliatory measures matching their crime."