Cotonou, Benin — With the presidential election in Benin less than three weeks away, incumbent Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni and opposition candidate Paul Hounkpé have commenced their campaigns. Wadagni, favored to win, is facing Hounkpé, a seasoned politician, in the race for the nation’s leadership.
Hounkpé addressed supporters in Cotonou on Friday, emphasizing the competitiveness of the race. “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, “he stated. His FCBE party member, Calixte Kounouvo, echoed this optimism, asserting that Hounkpé’s chances were strong.
The upcoming poll is poised to be the fifth democratic change of leadership in Benin since the establishment of multi — party democracy in 1990. The Democrats, another significant opposition party, were excluded from the polls after failing to gather enough signatures. Despite their initial refusal to support either candidate, several senior Democrats have since endorsed Wadagni. President Patrice Talon, who has served two five-year terms, is constitutionally barred from seeking re-election.
Wadagni, Talon’s hand-picked successor, addressed thousands of supporters in Kandi on Friday, focusing on regional development and security concerns. Northern Benin has been affected by spillover jihadist violence from neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger for several years. A coup attempt by army mutineers on December 7 was swiftly quelled by the military with support from Nigeria and France, but it did not prevent legislative and local elections from being held the following month, where Talon’s ruling bloc eliminated the opposition from parliament.
Source: Africanews
