🔗 Share this article Can the planet's oldest president keep the title and attract a nation of young electorate? The world's most aged head of state - nonagenarian Paul Biya - has assured the nation's electorate "the future holds promise" as he pursues his eighth consecutive term in office on Sunday. The elderly leader has stayed in power since 1982 - another seven-year term could see him rule for 50 years reaching almost a century old. Campaign Controversies He resisted numerous appeals to step down and faced criticism for attending just one public appearance, spending most of the political race on a week-and-a-half personal visit to Europe. A backlash over his use of an AI-generated political commercial, as his rivals sought voters directly, saw him rush north on his return home. Young Voters and Joblessness Consequently for the great bulk of the people, Biya is the only president they remember - more than sixty percent of the nation's 30 million residents are younger than the age of 25. Youthful political activist Marie Flore Mboussi urgently wants "fresh leadership" as she believes "longevity in power naturally results in a type of laziness". "Following four decades, the people are weary," she states. Employment challenges for youth remains a specific discussion topic for the majority of the contenders participating in the political race. Approximately forty percent of young citizens aged from 15 and 35 are without work, with twenty-three percent of young graduates experiencing problems in securing formal employment. Rival Contenders Apart from young people's job issues, the voting procedure has created dispute, especially with the exclusion of Maurice Kamto from the election contest. The removal, upheld by the highest court, was broadly condemned as a tactic to stop any serious competition to the incumbent. 12 candidates were authorized to vie for the leadership position, featuring Issa Tchiroma Bakary and another former ally - both ex- Biya colleagues from the north of the country. Voting Difficulties Within the nation's Anglophone Northwest and Southwest regions, where a protracted separatist conflict continues, an poll avoidance closure has been enforced, stopping economic functions, movement and education. Insurgents who have established it have promised to attack individuals who casts a ballot. Beginning in 2017, those attempting to establish a separate nation have been fighting government forces. The violence has to date resulted in at no fewer than 6k people and compelled nearly 500,000 others from their residences. Election Results Following the election, the highest court has two weeks to announce the findings. The government official has earlier advised that no aspirant is permitted to declare victory beforehand. "Individuals who will seek to declare outcomes of the political race or any unofficial win announcement contrary to the laws of the nation would have crossed the red line and should be ready to encounter consequences commensurate to their violation."