The Democrats (LD) opposition party in Benin has dismissed as fraudulent the results of the legislative elections which it is poised to challenge in the Constitutional Court.The party rejected the provisional results of the Autonomous National Electoral Commission (CENA).
The electoral body has allocated 28 seats out of the 109 in the National Assembly to the party of former President Boni Yayi, a decision contested by the LD which claimed it has won much more.
In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, the opposition party accused the electoral commission of using “stratagems” to divert the will of the people at the end of the January 8, 2022 legislative polls.
The president of the main opposition party cited, among other things, ballot-stuffing, conscience-buying through the “distribution of banknotes in the immediate vicinity of the voting centres.”
In his statement, Eric Houndété also mentioned inconsistencies between the electoral lists posted and the registration lists in the polling stations.
“The party The Democrats rejects this verdict which does not reflect the will of the people to make our party the leading political force in our country,” the leader of the main opposition party said.
Mr. Houndété announced that the provisional results will be challenged before the Constitutional Court so that “the party is given in its rights.”
While waiting for the court’s decision, which should proclaim the final results of the legislative elections in a few days, the LD called on its supporters to remain calm.
According to the provisional results, the coalition led by President Patrice Talon will have an absolute majority in the National Assembly for the ninth legislature.
The Progressive Union for Renewal (UPR) and the Republican Bloc (BR), which make up the presidential coalition, won 81 of the 109 seats which were up for grabs.
According to the electoral commission, only three parties out of the seven that competed in these elections will be represented in the Assembly.
The other parties failed to secure at least 10 percent of the national vote, as required by the electoral law.
