Benin’s electoral commission announced on Monday the preliminary results of the presidential election held on April 12, showing a decisive victory for Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, who secured more than 94% of the vote based on over 90% of ballots counted.
Saka Lafia, head of the Independent National Electoral Commission, said in a televised address that the results reflect a clear and dominant lead for Wadagni. He also confirmed that voter turnout stood at 58.78%.
Wadagni, 49, a former Deloitte executive, was the candidate backed by the ruling coalition and is widely seen as the political successor to outgoing President Patrice Talon. The election took place months after a failed coup attempt that briefly destabilized the country.
He entered the race as the frontrunner after the main opposition party, the Democrats, failed to secure enough parliamentary support to nominate a candidate, while also not effectively backing opposition figure Paul Hounkpè.
In a sign of the election’s trajectory, Hounkpè, candidate of the Cowry Forces party aligned with the Benin Emerging political movement, reportedly conceded defeat in a statement circulated in local media prior to the official announcement of final results.
The incoming administration is expected to face growing security challenges in northern Benin, where armed groups linked to the Sahel region are increasingly active. The perpetrators of the recent coup attempt cited deteriorating security conditions in these areas as part of their justification.
Wadagni has emphasized that a stable political transition in Benin is crucial not only for the country but also for West Africa as a whole, particularly given the wave of coups and instability in the Sahel region. He has pledged to strengthen security in the north and prevent further unrest.
He also promised to expand access to basic services, including clean water, broader social protection programs, and emergency healthcare regardless of ability to pay.
Analysts from ACLED, a conflict monitoring organization, have similarly stressed that stability in Benin is significant for wider West African security, given ongoing instability across the Sahel.