Former Beninese President Boni Yayi has definitively ruled out any electoral ambitions for 2026 and urged the political class to prioritise national unity in the face of the challenges of democratic transition.
Yayi launched a call on Thursday, September 11, for dialogue and the consolidation of democracy, just months before the April 2026 presidential election, while definitively announcing his withdrawal from the electoral race.
In a message addressed to his “compatriots,” Boni Yayi clarified that he would not seek any mandate: “I will not disappoint you, my dear compatriots. I am not seeking anything. I am not a candidate for anything, but I am at your service, at the service of the Republic, so that peace, democracy, stability, and, of course, shared prosperity
may reign in our country.”
The former head of state also emphasised the need to maintain “the spirit of dialogue, the spirit of exchange,”
not only with President Patrice Talon, but also within the political class.
“We need it for our country. It’s not the South Africans who will build Benin, it’s not the outside world, my dear compatriots, I am convinced of that,” he added.
Boni Yayi expressed his gratitude to the Beninese for the 10 year- mandate they granted him and emphasised his satisfaction at seeing democracy shine in the country: “You chose me, I spent 10 years. I thank you for that. But before leaving, my joy is to see our democracy truly shine, that is to say, that Benin always remains a city of
constitutional stability. Truly, that is my dream. And I know you are committed to it. This democracy will be restored and consolidated; this is very important.”
The former president recalled the limits of the country’s natural resources: “We have no oil, we have no gas, we
have no coal, at least not yet. But what we have is this democracy, and we must hold on to it.”
He concluded his message with a wish for peace: “May peace reign,” in a pre-election climate marked by tensions surrounding the candidacy of Minister of State Romuald Wadagni, accused of a conflict of interest.
Wadagni, the government’s candidate facing criticism
Romuald Wadagni, 49, has headed the Ministry of Finance since 2016. A graduate of the Grenoble School of Business and an MBA from Harvard Business School, he is also a certified public accountant in France and the United States. Before his political career, he worked for 17 years at Deloitte, becoming the group’s youngest partner at 36, leading its activities in Francophone Africa.
Since joining the government, he has overseen several major economic reforms and was voted Africa’s Best Finance Minister in 2024.
His nomination as the government’s candidate comes a few weeks after outgoing President Patrice Talon confirmed that he would not seek a third term, in accordance with the country’s constitution.
Following Boni Yayi’s withdrawal, the ‘Les Démocrates’ party is expected to consult in the coming days to nominate a candidate capable of challenging Wadagni, as the opposition seeks to maximise its chances in a pre-election period marked by uncertainty over Benin’s democratic and economic direction.
AC/Sf/fss/as/APA