As vote counting continues following Sunday’s presidential election, the Head of the ECOWAS Observation Mission—former Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo—is urging Beninese citizens and political leaders to remain peaceful.
He stressed that the orderly conduct seen on election day must continue even after the final results are announced.
Akufo-Addo praised the professionalism of electoral staff, noting that many arrived early to prevent the delays seen during the parliamentary and municipal elections on April 11.
While he acknowledged that voter turnout remains a concern, he emphasized that the incident-free process was a significant achievement compared to the election violence often seen globally.
To wrap up his assessment, the Head of Mission visited the ECOWAS Election Situation Room in Cotonou to review incoming reports from field observers.
Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, who leads a technical support team to the Mission, represented the Head of Mission to observe the closing and counting of votes at the polling unit in Cadjehoun Quarters, where the Mission observed the opening of balloting.
They also visited the election operations Centre of the Civil Society Electoral Platform, coordinated by the West Africa Network for Peace-building (WANEP).
The electoral law allows the National Electoral Commission, CENA, a maximum of two weeks to release the final results of the presidential election, which must be certified by the Constitutional Court, which has the final say in such matters.
However, the Commission can announce preliminary results within 48 hours of the conclusion of voting.
A candidate requires 50%+1 vote to win the presidency, or the two front-runners go into a run-off vote.
This might not be necessary this time, with only two candidates in the race.
The Benin presidential election took place amid far-reaching constitutional reforms and a drastic reduction in the number of political parties, with the opposition alleging exclusion and a shrinking of civic space.
Romuald Wadagni, the Minister of Finance for 10 years, is the presidential candidate of the ruling Coalition, while Paul Hounkpè, Culture Minister under former President Yayi Boni, is the flag-bearer of the opposition Cowry Forces.
Whoever emerges victorious between the two candidates will succeed outgoing President Patrice Talon, who is completing the mandatory two terms of five years each, allowed by the Constitution.
Under the reforms, the president of the republic’s tenure has been increased from five to seven years, while the legislature will now have a second chamber, the Senate, and a 109-seat elected Parliament.
CENA registered 7.8 million voters for the 2026 elections, and it is the first time that registered Beninese voters in the Diaspora, estimated at 63,000 would vote.
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