COTONOU, Benin (AP) — The Constitutional Court in Benin has officially validated the landslide presidential victory of Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni following the West African nation’s weekend voting.
The 49-year-old Wadagni, who served as a close ally to departing President Patrice Talon, secured an overwhelming 94.27% of ballots cast in Sunday’s election. His challenger Paul Hounkpè managed to capture just 5.73% of the vote. Court officials reported that 63.57% of eligible voters participated in the election. The losing candidate has a five-day window to submit any challenges before officials announce the final outcome.
Political observers had anticipated Wadagni’s decisive victory, largely due to backing from Talon, who is stepping down after a decade in power. Critics have alleged that Talon systematically weakened opposition forces in the lead-up to the voting.
The leader of the main opposition Democrats party, Renaud Agbodjo, found himself barred from the race after failing to obtain required legislative endorsement under recently enacted regulations that critics claim were crafted to limit competitive candidates.
The incoming president will face significant challenges, including rising militant activity in Benin’s northern territories. The previous year saw an unsuccessful military coup attempt targeting Talon’s government.
