Cotonou, Benin — With less than two weeks to the presidential elections, incumbent Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni and opposition candidate Paul Hounkpé have initiated their campaigns. Wadagni, favored to win, has been emphasizing regional development and security during his rallies.
Hounkpé addressed supporters in Cotonou, asserting the election’s competitiveness, saying, “It’s a serious match, and I know that if nothing changes in the next two weeks, or if we had to vote today, we would be the winners.”His FCBE party member, Calixte Kounouvo, echoed optimism about Hounkpé’s chances.
The upcoming election in Benin represents the fifth democratic transition of leadership since multi — party democracy began in 1990. The Democrats were excluded from the polls due to insufficient signatures, but several of their senior members have endorsed Wadagni. President Patrice Talon, who served two terms, is constitutionally ineligible for re-election.
Wadagni has been active across the country, addressing issues such as the spillover of jihadist violence from neighboring countries. The country remains tense following a failed coup attempt on December 7, which was swiftly quelled by the military with international support. Despite the attempted coup, legislative and local elections were conducted the following month.
The election campaigns are expected to intensify as the April poll approaches, with both candidates striving for votes.
Source: Africanews
