Benin’s electoral commission has officially approved just two candidates to stand in next April’s presidential election, opening the way for the ruling coalition to retain power.
The poll on April 12 will pit current Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, the runaway favourite, against minor opposition challenger Paul Hounkpe.
Last month, the electoral commission (CENA) excluded Renaud Agbodjo — the candidate of the main opposition Democrats party — on the grounds that he did not have sufficient sponsors.
Wadagni, 49, has been handpicked by outgoing President Patrice Talon as the candidate of the multi-party governing coalition.
He is widely seen as a close aide to Talon, who has been president of the small west African country since 2016 and is not seeking re-election, having reached his two-term limit.
Hounkpe represents the smaller opposition FCBE, which has signed a number of agreements with parties in the ruling coalition.
The Democrats will also be absent from local polls in January.
The CENA ruled its proposed list of candidates were inadmissible and it has been weakened by infighting that recently led six of its MPs to resign.
Last week Talon rebuffed accusations from Democrats leader and former president Thomas Yayi Boni that the opposition was being systematically sidelined.
“When you choose to walk on a tightrope and you fall off, you can’t go looking for scapegoats,” Talon told national television.
“It’s a bit sad to see a presidential election go ahead in Benin without the country’s only real opposition party. I’m saddened for our democracy,” Democrats activist Boubacar Abdoulaye told AFP on Friday.
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