Bonfoh Abbass
Encyclopedia
El-Hadj Bonfoh Abass is a Togo
lese politician who was the interim President of Togo
from February 25, 2005 to May 4, 2005. He has been the President of the National Assembly of Togo
since 2005.
, Bassar Prefecture
. From 1980 to 1985, he was Regional Director of Educational Planning in Kpalimé, and in August 1986 he became Regional Director of Educational Planning in Kara, serving in the latter post until 1999. He was elected to the National Assembly in the March 1999 parliamentary election
, standing as the RPT candidate in the Third Constituency of Bassar Prefecture and winning the seat with 90.68% of the vote. He was re-elected from Bassar in the October 2002 parliamentary election
. In the National Assembly, he served as First Rapporteur
of the Committee on Socio-Cultural Development and was elected First Vice-President of the National Assembly.
He became President of Togo when President Faure Gnassingbé
resigned due to pressure from the international community in February 2005. Bonfoh, who was First Vice-President of the National Assembly at the time, was elected as President of the National Assembly and thus became acting President of Togo prior to a new presidential election
. Bonfoh is a strong supporter of Gnassingbé, and was deemed a "chairwarmer" by some of his opponents because his temporary assumption of the presidency was meant to enable Gnassingbé to eventually become president in a seemingly more legitimate way. On April 23, 2005, Bonfoh dismissed the interior minister for advocating a delay in the election amidst massive street protests.
Gnassingbé officially won the election on April 24 and was sworn in on May 4, replacing Bonfoh.
In the October 2007 parliamentary election
, Bonfoh ran for re-election to the National Assembly as the first candidate on the candidate list of the ruling Rally of the Togolese People
(RPT) in Bassar, and he was successful in winning a seat. On November 24, 2007 he was re-elected as President of the National Assembly.
Abass actively campaigned for Gnassingbé prior to the March 2010 presidential election
. Following the election, in which Gnassingbé won a second term, Abass said in May 2010 that the people wanted "tangible achievements" and that Gnassingbé was delivering them. He particularly noted the importance of improving the availability of potable water, quality education, and medicine, and he anticipated that Gnassingbé would make continued progress on those issues. Abass also discussed the need to move forward with institutional and constitutional reforms, anticipating that relevant draft laws would soon be submitted to the National Assembly and quickly approved. He dismissed rumors of an impending dissolution of the National Assembly.
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
lese politician who was the interim President of Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
from February 25, 2005 to May 4, 2005. He has been the President of the National Assembly of Togo
National Assembly of Togo
The unicameral National Assembly of Togo is the country's legislative body. It has a total of 81 members who are elected in a party list proportional representation system...
since 2005.
Political career
Bonfoh was born in KabouKabou
Kabou is a village in the Bassar Prefecture in the Kara Region of north-western Togo.-External links:**...
, Bassar Prefecture
Bassar Prefecture
Bassar Prefecture is one of the prefectures of Togo and is located in Kara Region in Togo.-Towns and villages:Afoou, Akalede, Aketa, Akomomboua, Alidounpo, Apoeydoumpo, Atontebou, Badao, Baga, Bakari, Bakoule, Bakpaya, Bamandou, Bamoundo, Bandiadou, Bandjeli, Bangan, Bangbou, Banjena, Baouda,...
. From 1980 to 1985, he was Regional Director of Educational Planning in Kpalimé, and in August 1986 he became Regional Director of Educational Planning in Kara, serving in the latter post until 1999. He was elected to the National Assembly in the March 1999 parliamentary election
Togolese parliamentary election, 1999
Parliamentary elections were held in Togo on 21 March 1999. They were boycotted by the eight opposition parties, who been rebuffed in their insistence that talks following the controversial presidential election the previous year must be completed prior to the parliamentary election...
, standing as the RPT candidate in the Third Constituency of Bassar Prefecture and winning the seat with 90.68% of the vote. He was re-elected from Bassar in the October 2002 parliamentary election
Togolese parliamentary election, 2002
Parliamentary elections were held in Togo on 27 October 2002. Like the previous elections in 1999, they were boycotted by nine opposition parties , following the replacement of the Independent National Electoral Commission by a seven-magistrate committee and a revision of the Electoral Code...
. In the National Assembly, he served as First Rapporteur
Rapporteur
Rapporteur is used in international and European legal and political contexts to refer to a person appointed by a deliberative body to investigate an issue or a situation....
of the Committee on Socio-Cultural Development and was elected First Vice-President of the National Assembly.
He became President of Togo when President Faure Gnassingbé
Faure Gnassingbé
Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé has been the President of Togo since May 4, 2005. A son of President Gnassingbé Eyadéma, he was appointed to the government by his father, serving as Minister of Equipment, Mines, Posts, and Telecommunications from 2003 to 2005...
resigned due to pressure from the international community in February 2005. Bonfoh, who was First Vice-President of the National Assembly at the time, was elected as President of the National Assembly and thus became acting President of Togo prior to a new presidential election
Togolese presidential election, 2005
A presidential election was held in Togo on April 24, 2005, following the death in office of long-time president Gnassingbé Eyadéma. The main candidates were Eyadéma's son, Faure Gnassingbé, and opposition leader Emmanuel Bob-Akitani. The election and the period preceding it were marked by...
. Bonfoh is a strong supporter of Gnassingbé, and was deemed a "chairwarmer" by some of his opponents because his temporary assumption of the presidency was meant to enable Gnassingbé to eventually become president in a seemingly more legitimate way. On April 23, 2005, Bonfoh dismissed the interior minister for advocating a delay in the election amidst massive street protests.
Gnassingbé officially won the election on April 24 and was sworn in on May 4, replacing Bonfoh.
In the October 2007 parliamentary election
Togolese parliamentary election, 2007
A parliamentary election was held in Togo on October 14, 2007 for the 81 seats in the National Assembly. There were over 2,000 candidates, with 32 parties and 41 lists of independent candidates competing. The ruling Rally of the Togolese People was victorious, winning a majority of 50 seats...
, Bonfoh ran for re-election to the National Assembly as the first candidate on the candidate list of the ruling Rally of the Togolese People
Rally of the Togolese People
The Rally of the Togolese People is the ruling political party in Togo. The President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbé, is also the National President of the RPT....
(RPT) in Bassar, and he was successful in winning a seat. On November 24, 2007 he was re-elected as President of the National Assembly.
Abass actively campaigned for Gnassingbé prior to the March 2010 presidential election
Togolese presidential election, 2010
A presidential election was held in Togo on 4 March 2010. Incumbent President Faure Gnassingbé—who won his first term in a presidential election that followed the death of his father, long-time President Gnassingbé Eyadema, in 2005—faced radical opposition candidate Jean-Pierre Fabre,...
. Following the election, in which Gnassingbé won a second term, Abass said in May 2010 that the people wanted "tangible achievements" and that Gnassingbé was delivering them. He particularly noted the importance of improving the availability of potable water, quality education, and medicine, and he anticipated that Gnassingbé would make continued progress on those issues. Abass also discussed the need to move forward with institutional and constitutional reforms, anticipating that relevant draft laws would soon be submitted to the National Assembly and quickly approved. He dismissed rumors of an impending dissolution of the National Assembly.