COTONOU – As the counting of votes continues following Sunday’s presidential election, the Head of the ECOWAS Observation Mission, former Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, has called on Beninese citizens and political actors to maintain the peaceful and orderly disposition displayed on voting day. He emphasized the importance of remaining calm even after the official announcement of the poll results.
President Akufo-Addo commended the professionalism of electoral officials, noting that in many instances they arrived well before the official start time. This punctuality corrected the delays experienced at some polling centers during the parliamentary and municipal elections held on April 11. He remarked that while political participation and voter turnout remain key points of discussion, the generally peaceful and incident-free balloting is a significant achievement given the violence that has historically marred elections across the continent and globally.
As part of his duties, the Head of Mission led a delegation to the ECOWAS Election Situation Room in Cotonou, which is currently coordinating returns from observers stationed across the country. Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, also represented the mission to observe the closing and counting of votes at the polling unit in Cadjehoun Quarters. Additionally, the team visited the election operations center of the Civil Society Electoral Platform, which is coordinated by the West Africa Network for Peace-building (WANEP).
Under Beninese electoral law, the National Electoral Commission (CENA) has a maximum of two weeks to release final results, which must then be certified by the Constitutional Court. However, the Commission is permitted to announce preliminary results within 48 hours of the conclusion of voting. To win the presidency outright, a candidate requires a majority of 50 percent plus one vote. While a run-off is legally possible, it may not be necessary in this cycle given that only two candidates are in the race.
The election took place against a backdrop of significant constitutional reforms and a drastic reduction in the number of political parties, leading to allegations of exclusion from the opposition. The contest features Romuald Wadagni, who served as Minister of Finance for a decade and represents the ruling coalition, and Paul Hounkpè, a former Culture Minister under President Yayi Boni, who is the flag-bearer for the opposition Cowry Forces.
The victor will succeed outgoing President Patrice Talon, who is completing his mandatory two five-year terms. Future administrations will operate under a new framework that increases the presidential tenure from five to seven years and introduces a bicameral legislature consisting of an elected Parliament and a new Senate. CENA registered 7.8 million voters for the 2026 elections, including approximately 63,000 Beninese citizens living in the diaspora who were eligible to vote for the first time.