Can the world's oldest president retain the position and attract a nation of youthful voters?
This planet's oldest leader - nonagenarian Paul Biya - has promised the nation's electorate "better days are ahead" as he pursues his 8th consecutive term in office this weekend.
The nonagenarian has stayed in office since 1982 - another 7-year term could extend his reign for half a century reaching almost 100.
Campaign Controversies
He defied broad demands to resign and faced criticism for making merely a single campaign event, using the majority of the campaign period on a 10-day personal visit to Europe.
Negative reaction over his dependence on an computer-generated campaign video, as his opponents actively wooed supporters in person, saw him rush north after coming back.
Young Voters and Joblessness
It means that for the vast majority of the citizenry, Biya has been the exclusive ruler they remember - above sixty percent of the nation's thirty million inhabitants are younger than the age of 25.
Young political activist Marie Flore Mboussi strongly desires "fresh leadership" as she maintains "extended rule naturally results in a type of complacency".
"Following four decades, the population are exhausted," she declares.
Youth unemployment has been a particular discussion topic for most of the contenders competing in the political race.
Almost 40% of young citizens aged from 15 to 35 years are unemployed, with 23% of college-educated youth facing challenges in securing formal employment.
Rival Candidates
Apart from youth unemployment, the voting procedure has generated debate, notably concerning the removal of Maurice Kamto from the leadership competition.
The removal, approved by the highest court, was widely criticised as a strategy to stop any significant opposition to President Biya.
A dozen aspirants were cleared to contest for the presidency, featuring an ex-government official and a previous supporter - each previous Biya allies from the northern region of the country.
Voting Difficulties
Within the nation's English-speaking Northwest and South-West regions, where a extended insurgency continues, an poll avoidance closure has been imposed, stopping commercial operations, travel and schooling.
The separatists who have enforced it have threatened to attack people who casts a ballot.
Starting four years ago, those seeking to create a separate nation have been clashing with state security.
The fighting has to date killed at no fewer than six thousand people and compelled nearly five hundred thousand residents from their homes.
Vote Outcome
Once polling concludes, the Constitutional Council has 15 days to reveal the outcome.
The interior minister has earlier advised that none of the contenders is authorized to claim success prior to official results.
"Individuals who will attempt to reveal findings of the leadership vote or any unofficial win announcement against the laws of the republic would have broken rules and need to be prepared to face penalties commensurate to their offense."
