Beninese presidential election, 2006
Encyclopedia
A presidential election was held in the West African state of Benin
on March 5, 2006. Long-time president Mathieu Kérékou
was barred from running again by a two term limit and an age limit of 70 years for candidates; in July 2005 he signalled that he would not seek to change the constitution, as has been done in some other African countries, so that he could run again. Kérékou's long-time rival Nicéphore Soglo
was also barred from standing due to his age. With both of the men who had been the country's leading political figures for many years unable to contest the election, it had a level of openness and unpredictability that is uncommon to African presidential elections. Since no candidate won a majority, a second round was held between the two leading candidates on March 19; Yayi Boni
won the election and took office in April.
33 candidate applications were registered with the Autonomous National Electoral Commission (CENA). In a ruling issued on January 30, 2006, the Constitutional Court accepted 26 of these candidacies. The candidacies of Daniel Shalom, Vincent Emmanuel Ahounou, and Adébayo Ananie were rejected because they were deemed medically unfit for the presidency, while the candidacies of Lary Egoundoukpè and Alidou Tamama were rejected because they had not paid the deposit of five million CFA franc
s required of candidates. Another two candidates, Edgar Alias and Yaro Sourakatou, withdrew in favor of Boni prior to the ruling. The approved candidates included three serving members of Kérékou's government: Zul Kifl Salami
, Antoine Dayori
, and Kamarou Fassassi
. Additionally, the Constitutional Court approved the candidacies of two heads of major institutions: those of Antoine Idji Kolawolé
, the President of the National Assembly
, and Raphiou Toukourou, the President of the Economic and Social Council.
In the first round, held on March 5, Boni, former chairman of the West African Development Bank
, placed first with about 35% of the vote, and former President of the National Assembly
Adrien Houngbédji
of the Democratic Renewal Party
placed second with about 24% of the vote. In third place was the Social Democratic Party
's candidate Bruno Amoussou
, a former speaker of parliament and planning minister who obtained about 16% of the vote, and in fourth place was Benin Renaissance
candidate Lehady Soglo
, son of former president Nicéphore Soglo, with about 8% of the vote. Boni was an independent candidate, and this was his first election; Houngbédji and Amoussou had both run for president three previous times.
Shortly after results were announced in mid-March, the government set the date for the second round between Boni and Houngbédji for March 19. The country's election commission asked for more time, but this was refused. Boni was backed for the second round by both Amoussou and Soglo. He won the second round with almost 75% of the vote and was sworn in on April 6.
Voter Turnout: 3,200,944
Votes Cast: 3,014,167
The results were as follows:
1) Boni Yayi 1,074,308
2) Adrien Houngbédji
727,239
3) Bruno Amoussou
489,122
4) Léhadi Vinagnon Soglo 253,478
5) Antoine Kolawolé Idji 97,595
6) Lazare Sehoueto
61,195
7) Séverin Adjovi
53,304
8) Antoine Dayori
37,436
9) Kamarou Fassassi
29,494
10) Janvier Yahouedehou 23,054
11) Luc-Marie Constant Gnacadja 20,269
12) Daniel Tawema
18,125
13) Ibrahima Djériwô Idrissou Djarra 18,106
14) Richard Senou 15,672
15) Souley Dankoro 9,929
16) Marie-Elise Gbedo
9,815
17) Célestine Zanou 9,474
18) Lionel Agbo 9,026
19) Zul-Kifl Salami 8,538
20) Richard Adjaho 7,448
21) Gatien Houngbedji
6,544
22) Djimon Hodonou 6,512
23) Galiou Soglo 5,243
24) Kouessan LéandreDjagoue 4,665
25) Marcel Didier Gbaguidi 3,479
26) Raphiou Toukourou 3,419
Voter Turnout: 2,725,634
Votes Cast: 2,656,070
1) Boni Yayi 1,979,305
2) Adrien Houngbédji
673,937
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
on March 5, 2006. Long-time president Mathieu Kérékou
Mathieu Kérékou
Mathieu Kérékou, was President of Benin from 1972 to 1991 and again from 1996 to 2006. After seizing power in a military coup, he ruled the country for 17 years, for most of that time under an officially Marxist-Leninist ideology, before he was stripped of his powers by the National Conference of...
was barred from running again by a two term limit and an age limit of 70 years for candidates; in July 2005 he signalled that he would not seek to change the constitution, as has been done in some other African countries, so that he could run again. Kérékou's long-time rival Nicéphore Soglo
Nicéphore Soglo
Nicéphore Dieudonné Soglo is a Beninois politician who was Prime Minister of Benin from 1990 to 1991 and President from 1991 to 1996. He has been the Mayor of Cotonou since 2003.-Biography:Soglo was born in Togo...
was also barred from standing due to his age. With both of the men who had been the country's leading political figures for many years unable to contest the election, it had a level of openness and unpredictability that is uncommon to African presidential elections. Since no candidate won a majority, a second round was held between the two leading candidates on March 19; Yayi Boni
Yayi Boni
Dr. Thomas Yayi Boni , a Beninese banker and politician, is the current President of Benin. He took office on 6 April 2006 after winning elections held in the previous month.-Biography:...
won the election and took office in April.
33 candidate applications were registered with the Autonomous National Electoral Commission (CENA). In a ruling issued on January 30, 2006, the Constitutional Court accepted 26 of these candidacies. The candidacies of Daniel Shalom, Vincent Emmanuel Ahounou, and Adébayo Ananie were rejected because they were deemed medically unfit for the presidency, while the candidacies of Lary Egoundoukpè and Alidou Tamama were rejected because they had not paid the deposit of five million CFA franc
CFA franc
The CFA franc is the name of two currencies used in Africa which are guaranteed by the French treasury. The two CFA franc currencies are the West African CFA franc and the Central African CFA franc...
s required of candidates. Another two candidates, Edgar Alias and Yaro Sourakatou, withdrew in favor of Boni prior to the ruling. The approved candidates included three serving members of Kérékou's government: Zul Kifl Salami
Zul Kifl Salami
Zul Kifl Salami is a politician from Benin. He was a minister in the PRPB government. He holds a doctorate in economics.He was elected as an Islamic Development Bank Executive Director in 2003 on a three-year term, with responsibility for: Algeria, Benin, Mozambique, Syria, Palestine and Yemen.On...
, Antoine Dayori
Antoine Dayori
Antoine Dayori is a Beninese politician and the leader of the Hope Force political party.Dayori was one of five Force Clé candidates elected to the National Assembly in the March 2003 parliamentary election. He served as Minister of Culture, Crafts, and Tourism from February 2005 to April 2006...
, and Kamarou Fassassi
Kamarou Fassassi
Kamarou Fassassi is a Beninese politician.Fassassi was born in Porto-Novo. He was Director of the Cabinet of the President of the National Assembly of Benin, Adrien Houngbédji, from 1992 to 1995, and he was elected to the National Assembly in the March 1995 parliamentary election...
. Additionally, the Constitutional Court approved the candidacies of two heads of major institutions: those of Antoine Idji Kolawolé
Antoine Idji Kolawolé
Antoine Idji Kolawolé is a Beninese politician. He was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Benin from 1998 to 2003 and the President of the National Assembly from 2003 to 2007....
, the President of the National Assembly
National Assembly of Benin
The unicameral National Assembly of Benin is the country's legislative body.The current National Assembly has 83 members who are directly elected through a system of party-list proportional representation and serve five-year terms.-See also:...
, and Raphiou Toukourou, the President of the Economic and Social Council.
In the first round, held on March 5, Boni, former chairman of the West African Development Bank
West African Development Bank
The West African Development Bank - WADB is an international Multilateral Development Bank established in 1973 to serve the nations of Francophone and Lusophone West Africa...
, placed first with about 35% of the vote, and former President of the National Assembly
National Assembly of Benin
The unicameral National Assembly of Benin is the country's legislative body.The current National Assembly has 83 members who are directly elected through a system of party-list proportional representation and serve five-year terms.-See also:...
Adrien Houngbédji
Adrien Houngbédji
Adrien Houngbédji is a Beninese politician and the leader of the Democratic Renewal Party , one of Benin's main political parties. He was President of the National Assembly of Benin from 1991 to 1995, Prime Minister of Benin from 1996 to 1998, and President of the National Assembly for a second...
of the Democratic Renewal Party
Democratic Renewal Party (Benin)
The Democratic Renewal Party is a political party of Benin led by Adrien Houngbédji. Houngbédji lived in exile for several years, but returned to Benin to take part in the National Conference of 1990. He built up his party largely around other exiled Beninese...
placed second with about 24% of the vote. In third place was the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (Benin)
The Social Democratic Party is a political party in Benin.The PSD was founded in 1990. Running together with the National Union for Solidarity and Progress in the February 1991 parliamentary election, the PSD won 9.8% of the vote and eight out of 64 seats in the National Assembly.The PSD's first...
's candidate Bruno Amoussou
Bruno Amoussou
Bruno Ange-Marie Amoussou is a Beninese politician and President of the Social Democratic Party . He was the President of the National Assembly from April 1995 to April 1999 and Minister of State in charge of Planning and Prospective Development under President Mathieu Kérékou from 1999 to 2005;...
, a former speaker of parliament and planning minister who obtained about 16% of the vote, and in fourth place was Benin Renaissance
Benin Rebirth Party
The Benin Rebirth Party is an oppositional, more or less liberal party in Benin. The party is led by Nicéphore Soglo, who was President of Benin from 1991 to 1996....
candidate Lehady Soglo
Léhady Soglo
Léhady Vinagnon Soglo is a Beninese politician.Born in Paris, Soglo is the son of Nicéphore Soglo, who was President of Benin from 1991 to 1996. He was the candidate of the Benin Rebirth Party in the March 2006 presidential election, in which his father was barred from running due to a maximum...
, son of former president Nicéphore Soglo, with about 8% of the vote. Boni was an independent candidate, and this was his first election; Houngbédji and Amoussou had both run for president three previous times.
Shortly after results were announced in mid-March, the government set the date for the second round between Boni and Houngbédji for March 19. The country's election commission asked for more time, but this was refused. Boni was backed for the second round by both Amoussou and Soglo. He won the second round with almost 75% of the vote and was sworn in on April 6.
Official first round results
Registered Voters: 3,917,865Voter Turnout: 3,200,944
Votes Cast: 3,014,167
The results were as follows:
1) Boni Yayi 1,074,308
2) Adrien Houngbédji
Adrien Houngbédji
Adrien Houngbédji is a Beninese politician and the leader of the Democratic Renewal Party , one of Benin's main political parties. He was President of the National Assembly of Benin from 1991 to 1995, Prime Minister of Benin from 1996 to 1998, and President of the National Assembly for a second...
727,239
3) Bruno Amoussou
Bruno Amoussou
Bruno Ange-Marie Amoussou is a Beninese politician and President of the Social Democratic Party . He was the President of the National Assembly from April 1995 to April 1999 and Minister of State in charge of Planning and Prospective Development under President Mathieu Kérékou from 1999 to 2005;...
489,122
4) Léhadi Vinagnon Soglo 253,478
5) Antoine Kolawolé Idji 97,595
6) Lazare Sehoueto
Lazare Sèhouéto
Lazare Maurice Sèhouéto is a Beninese politician. Under President Mathieu Kérékou, he served as Minister of Commerce, Industry, Community Development, and the Promotion of Employment from May 2001 to June 2003, and as Minister of Agriculture, Husbandry, and Fishing from June 2003 to February 2005...
61,195
7) Séverin Adjovi
Sévérin Adjovi
Sévérin Adjovi is a Beninese politician and leader of the Liberal Democrats' Rally for National Reconstruction-Vivoten , as well as a businessman....
53,304
8) Antoine Dayori
Antoine Dayori
Antoine Dayori is a Beninese politician and the leader of the Hope Force political party.Dayori was one of five Force Clé candidates elected to the National Assembly in the March 2003 parliamentary election. He served as Minister of Culture, Crafts, and Tourism from February 2005 to April 2006...
37,436
9) Kamarou Fassassi
Kamarou Fassassi
Kamarou Fassassi is a Beninese politician.Fassassi was born in Porto-Novo. He was Director of the Cabinet of the President of the National Assembly of Benin, Adrien Houngbédji, from 1992 to 1995, and he was elected to the National Assembly in the March 1995 parliamentary election...
29,494
10) Janvier Yahouedehou 23,054
11) Luc-Marie Constant Gnacadja 20,269
12) Daniel Tawema
Daniel Tawéma
Daniel Tawéma is a Beninese politician. During the regime of Mathieu Kérékou, he became Deputy Director of the Civil Cabinet in April 1979 and served as Director of the Cabinet from 1983 to 1989. From August 1989 to March 1990, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Tawéma was a...
18,125
13) Ibrahima Djériwô Idrissou Djarra 18,106
14) Richard Senou 15,672
15) Souley Dankoro 9,929
16) Marie-Elise Gbedo
Marie-Elise Gbèdo
Marie-Elise Akouavi Gbèdo is a Beninese politician who has run for president twice. In May 1998 she was made Minister of Commerce, Crafts, and Tourism under President Mathieu Kérékou; he dismissed her from that position in June 1999...
9,815
17) Célestine Zanou 9,474
18) Lionel Agbo 9,026
19) Zul-Kifl Salami 8,538
20) Richard Adjaho 7,448
21) Gatien Houngbedji
Gatien Houngbédji
Gatien Houngbédji is a Beninese politician and the president of the Union for Economic and Social Development . Under President Mathieu Kérékou, he was Minister of Trade, Craft Industry, and Tourism from April 1996 to May 1998...
6,544
22) Djimon Hodonou 6,512
23) Galiou Soglo 5,243
24) Kouessan LéandreDjagoue 4,665
25) Marcel Didier Gbaguidi 3,479
26) Raphiou Toukourou 3,419
Official second round results
Eligible Voters: 3,919,550Voter Turnout: 2,725,634
Votes Cast: 2,656,070
1) Boni Yayi 1,979,305
2) Adrien Houngbédji
Adrien Houngbédji
Adrien Houngbédji is a Beninese politician and the leader of the Democratic Renewal Party , one of Benin's main political parties. He was President of the National Assembly of Benin from 1991 to 1995, Prime Minister of Benin from 1996 to 1998, and President of the National Assembly for a second...
673,937
External links
- Achieving Transformational Democracy in Africa: Benin strikes again (USAIDUnited States Agency for International DevelopmentThe United States Agency for International Development is the United States federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. President John F. Kennedy created USAID in 1961 by executive order to implement development assistance programs in the areas...
) - Yayi Boni, Yayi Boni's Official Campaign Website (in French)
- Houngbedji 2006, Official Website of Adrien Houngbedji (in French)
- CENA, Commission Electoral Nationale Autonome (in French)