Benin’s Finance Minister, Romuald Wadagni, has won the presidency with an overwhelming majority, according to provisional results.
He secured more than 94 percent of the vote, based on 90 percent of the ballots counted—enough to make the outcome “irreversible,” the Electoral Commission said, citing preliminary figures.
Wadagni, 49, was widely regarded as the frontrunner. He was backed by the outgoing president, Patrice Talon, who was barred from seeking a third term after completing two terms in office.
Opposition candidate Paul Hounkpè congratulated Wadagni, noting that the results so far pointed clearly to his victory. He added that “democracy requires mutual respect and the ability to rise above partisan divides”.
Benin, with a population of about 15 million, is regarded as one of West Africa’s more stable democracies in a region that has witnessed several military coups in recent years.
BBC
