AFP-
Benin’s president Patrice Talon said “the best is yet to come for Benin” before casting his vote in Sunday’s presidential election that will decide who will be his successor.
Nearly eight million voters are eligible to cast ballots to choose a successor to Patrice Talon, who is stepping down after two five-year terms and has endorsed Romuald Wadagni, the current finance minister, as his successor.
Turnout will be a crucial factor after a lacklustre campaign hit by voter apathy.
“We must vote to ensure a high turnout,” said Yvan Glidja, a man in his 30s who turned up early at a school-turned-polling station in the commercial capital Cotonou to vote for Wadagni.
Backed by the two main ruling parties, Wadagni is being challenged by Paul Hounkpe, an opposition figure whose campaign has been very low-key and who needed help from majority lawmakers to secure the required parliamentary endorsements to get on the ballot.
“There can’t be any real enthusiasm; for that, you would need debate and each side would have to believe in its chances,” said Rufin Godjo, a political analyst.
The main opposition The Democrats party is not fielding a candidate as its leader, Renaud Agbodjo, failed to secure the required number of parliamentary endorsements needed to contest the vote.
“I won’t go and vote, this election is not inclusive. You cannot talk about genuine democratic competition when some key political players are barred,” said Arnold Dessouassi, a 39-year-old teacher.
The ruling majority blames The Democrats’ exclusion on internal divisions. Several senior figures in the party joined Wadagni’s campaign.
“The disgruntled haven’t disappeared. Tensions and frustration remain high; their electoral hopes have been slaughtered,” said Godjo, speaking of voters.
The European Union, the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have all sent substantial delegations to monitor the vote.
“We hope a maximum of Beninese will come out to make their choice today”, Nana Akufo-Addo, a former Ghanaian president heading the ECOWAS delegation, told AFP.