Wadagni wins Benin's presidency in landslide vote

Benin's Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni has won the country's presidential election in a landslide, securing 94 percent of the vote in provisional results announced by the country's electoral commission on Tuesday.

According to the national electoral commission, the 49-year-old and his running-mate Mariam Chabi Talata received 4,252,347 votes out of 4,640,354 valid ballots cast, while turnout stood at 58.75 percent among nearly 7.9 million registered voters.

Local media reported that the result had been widely anticipated, with Wadagni entering the race as the clear favorite backed by the ruling coalition.

His sole challenger, opposition candidate Paul Hounkpe, secured 5.95 percent of the vote and conceded defeat before the official announcement, extending what he described as "republican congratulations" and calling for national unity and respect for democratic institutions.

Wadagni's victory is expected to ensure policy continuity, particularly in economic reforms that have helped position Benin as one of the faster-growing economies in the region.

sharon@chinadailyafrica.com