Beninese presidential election, 2006

Members of the National Autonomous Electoral Commission (CENA) are counting the votes after the second round on 19 March 2006

Civil Society members offer their own transportation means to carry and safeguard the transparent ballot boxes from the polling stations to the electoral commission offices.

Presidential elections were held in Benin on 5 March 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.^[1] 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 19 March; Yayi Boni won the election and took office in April.

Candidates

A total of 33 candidate applications were registered with the Autonomous National Electoral Commission (CENA). In a ruling issued on 30 January 2006, the Constitutional Court accepted 26 candidacies, as 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 francs 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.^[2]

Results

In the first round, held on 5 March, Boni, former chairman of the West African Development Bank, placed first with around 35% of the vote, and former President of the National Assembly Adrien Houngbédji of the Democratic Renewal Party placed second with around 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 around 16% of the vote, and in fourth place was Benin Renaissance candidate Lehady Soglo, son of former president Nicéphore Soglo, with around 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.^[3][4]

Shortly after results were announced in mid-March, the government set the date for the second round between Boni and Houngbédji for 19 March. 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.^[5] He won the second round with almost 75% of the vote^[3] and was sworn in on 6 April.^[6]

Candidate	Party	First round		Second round
		Votes	%	Votes	%
Yayi Boni	Independent	1,074,308	35.78	1,979,305	74.60
Adrien Houngbédji	Democratic Renewal Party	727,239	24.22	673,937	25.40
Bruno Amoussou	Social Democratic Party	489,122	16.29
Léhadi Soglo	Benin Rebirth Party	253,478	8.44
Antoine Kolawolé Idji	African Movement for Development and Progress	97,595	3.25
Lazare Sèhouéto	Movement for the People's Alternative	61,195	2.04
Sévérin Adjovi	Liberal Democrats' Rally for National Reconstruction – Vivoten	53,304	1.78
Antoine Dayori	Hope Force	37,436	1.25
Kamarou Fassassi	Awakening Party of Democrats of the New Generation	29,494	0.98
Janvier Yahouédéhou	Independent	23,054	0.77
Luc Gnacadja	Envol Movement	20,269	0.68
Daniel Tawéma	Action Front for Renewal and Development	18,125	0.60
Ibrahima Idrissou	Rally for National Unity and Democracy	18,106	0.60
Richard Sènou	Independent	15,672	0.52
Soulé Dankoro	Democratic Party	9,929	0.33
Marie-Elise Gbèdo	Independent	9,815	0.33
Célestine Zanou	Independent	9,474	0.32
Lionel Agbo	African Congress of Democrats	9,026	0.30
Zul Kifl Salami	Independent	8,538	0.28
Richard Adjaho	Independent	7,448	0.25
Gatien Houngbédji	Democratic Union for Economic and Social Development	6,544	0.22
Adolphe Djimon Hodonou	Independent	6,512	0.22
Galiou Soglo	Independent	5,243	0.17
Léandre Djagoué	Rally of Liberal Democrats – Hêviosso	4,665	0.15
Marcel Gbaguidi	Independent	3,479	0.12
Raphiou Toukourou	Independent	3,419	0.11
Invalid/blank votes		186,777	–	69,564	–
Total		3,189,266	100	2,722,806	100
Registered voters/turnout		3,917,865	81.7	3,919,550	69.5
Source: African Elections Database

References

1. Kerekou says will retire next year, will not change constitution to stay in power IRIN, 12 July 2005
2. La Cour constitutionnelle retient 26 candidatures Panapress, 30 January 2006 (French)
3. Elections in Benin African Elections Database
4. Profiles of front-runners in presidential race IRIN, 3 March 2006
5. Rejecting appeal, government sets poll for 19 March IRIN, 18 March 2006
6. Virgile Ahissou, Celebrations in Benin as Boni takes office Associated Press, 7 April 2006

External links

• Achieving Transformational Democracy in Africa: Benin strikes again USAID
• Yayi Boni's Official Campaign Website (French)
• Official Website of Adrien Houngbedji (French)
• Commission Electoral Nationale Autonome (French)