Will the planet's most aged leader retain his position and woo a country of youthful electorate?
This planet's most aged head of state - 92-year-old Paul Biya - has promised the nation's electorate "better days are ahead" as he pursues his eighth consecutive presidential term this weekend.
The nonagenarian has already been in power since 1982 - an additional 7-year mandate could extend his reign for half a century making him almost 100.
Election Controversies
He ignored numerous appeals to step down and faced criticism for attending just one rally, using the majority of the political race on a ten-day unofficial journey to Europe.
Negative reaction over his reliance on an AI-generated political commercial, as his challengers courted voters in person, prompted his quick return north after coming back.
Youth Voters and Joblessness
Consequently for the vast majority of the population, Biya has been the exclusive ruler they have known - over sixty percent of the nation's 30 million inhabitants are younger than the 25 years old.
Youthful advocate Marie Flore Mboussi is desperate for "different faces" as she maintains "prolonged leadership typically causes a type of laziness".
"Following four decades, the population are weary," she declares.
Youth unemployment has been a particular discussion topic for nearly all the candidates participating in the election.
Approximately forty percent of youthful residents aged from 15 and 35 are without work, with 23% of young graduates experiencing problems in finding formal employment.
Rival Candidates
Beyond young people's job issues, the election system has also stirred debate, especially with the removal of Maurice Kamto from the election contest.
The disqualification, upheld by the legal authority, was generally denounced as a strategy to stop any strong challenge to the incumbent.
A dozen candidates were cleared to contest for the leadership position, including a former minister and a previous supporter - both ex- Biya colleagues from the north of the country.
Election Challenges
Within the nation's English-speaking North-West and South-West territories, where a long-running rebellion ongoing, an poll avoidance lockdown has been imposed, paralysing economic functions, movement and education.
Insurgents who have imposed it have threatened to harm people who casts a ballot.
Starting four years ago, those seeking to create a breakaway state have been clashing with state security.
The fighting has to date resulted in at minimum 6,000 people and forced nearly 500,000 others from their residences.
Vote Outcome
Once polling concludes, the legal body has two weeks to reveal the results.
The interior minister has earlier advised that none of the contenders is allowed to declare victory prior to official results.
"Those who will try to declare outcomes of the presidential election or any self-proclaimed victory contrary to the rules of the republic would have crossed the red line and need to be prepared to face penalties appropriate for their violation."
