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This planet's oldest head of state - nonagenarian Paul Biya - has assured the nation's voters "the best is still to come" as he aims for his 8th consecutive presidential term this weekend.

The nonagenarian has already been in office for over four decades - another 7-year mandate could extend his reign for half a century reaching almost 100.

Campaign Controversies

He resisted widespread calls to step down and faced criticism for attending just one public appearance, spending most of the political race on a ten-day unofficial journey to the European continent.

Negative reaction regarding his reliance on an computer-generated political commercial, as his challengers sought supporters directly, saw him rush to the northern region after coming back.

Youth Population and Unemployment

This indicates for the vast majority of the population, Biya has been the exclusive ruler they have known - over sixty percent of Cameroon's 30 million residents are younger than the age of 25.

Young advocate Marie Flore Mboussi urgently wants "new blood" as she thinks "extended rule inevitably leads to a kind of complacency".

"Following four decades, the citizens are exhausted," she says.

Employment challenges for youth remains a particular talking point for the majority of the aspirants competing in the vote.

Nearly 40% of young Cameroonians between 15 and 35 are jobless, with twenty-three percent of recent graduates experiencing problems in securing regular work.

Rival Contenders

Apart from young people's job issues, the voting procedure has also stirred debate, especially with the disqualification of a political rival from the leadership competition.

His exclusion, upheld by the Constitutional Council, was generally denounced as a ploy to block any strong challenge to the incumbent.

12 aspirants were authorized to compete for the leadership position, including Issa Tchiroma Bakary and another former ally - the two former Biya allies from the north of the country.

Election Challenges

In Cameroon's Anglophone North-West and Southwest territories, where a extended insurgency ongoing, an voting prohibition restriction has been enforced, halting commercial operations, movement and schooling.

Insurgents who have imposed it have promised to target individuals who casts a ballot.

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

The fighting has to date killed at least six thousand individuals and forced nearly 500,000 people from their residences.

Vote Outcome

Following the election, the highest court has two weeks to announce the outcome.

The government official has previously cautioned that no candidate is authorized to claim success beforehand.

"Those who will attempt to reveal findings of the presidential election or any self-proclaimed victory in violation of the regulations of the nation would have violated boundaries and need to be prepared to receive consequences appropriate for their offense."