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The Chief Executive Officer of the Atta-Mills Institute (AMI) for Civic Education and Public Policy Advocacy, Mr Samuel Koku Anyidoho, has commended the Beninois authorities for a successful organisation of its April 11 presidential election.
He said the collation centres were not inundated with human traffic as well as "macho men or vigilante groups".

“One unique thing is how after the open counting and declaration of results, the returning officers send their duly signed Declaration Forms to the collation centres and leave,” he stated.

Observation

Mr Anyidoho said this in an interview after observing the election as a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Benin last week.

It was the second international election monitoring assignment by the AMI after an earlier one it undertook in October 2020 as part of an ECOWAS Observer Team to observe the presidential and provincial elections in Guinea Conakry.

Processes

Mr Anyidoho described the voting processes as smooth as what pertained in Ghana.

“Honestly, the ECOWAS Team did not report an incident of violence. Tactile ballots were also available to help those with impaired vision,” he added.

He said there were also no queues even though the voting ended at 4 p.m. “unlike Ghana where voting ends at 5 p.m.”

Ghana Mission
Mr Anyidoho also praised the Ghana Mission in Cotonou for its support, especially the Interim Head of Mission, Madam Louisa Hanson.

Background

Incumbent President Patrice Talon won 86.37 per cent of the votes or 1,984,832 votes in the April 11 polls.

He was followed by rivals Alassane Soumano with 11.29 per cent and Corentin Kohoue with 2.35 per cent.

The turnout was 50.17 per cent or 2,298,401 voters out of a possible 4,802,303.