In the headlines: Benin and Chad, two presidential elections locked

Audio 04:17

A person filling out his ballot paper in Ndjamena on April 11, 2021. © Marco Longari / AFP

By: Frédéric Couteau Follow

9 mins

Publicity

“ 

In Africa, presidential elections follow and resemble each other

,

points out WakatSéra in Ouagadougou

.

Whether in Benin or in Chad, which experienced an election day, more or less calm yesterday Sunday.

A calm that precedes the storm?

Maybe, because without wishing for any trouble in these countries, you don't have to be a high-flying soothsayer or political scientist to say that this election day was only peaceful because, for the most part, the offices voting, in Benin or in Chad, did not experience the expected attendance.

(...)

However

,

WakatSéra

still

notes

,

they were nearly 5 and 7 million voters, respectively in Benin and Chad, to have made an appointment with these presidential elections who were to pave the way for change or confirm continuity.

Unfortunately, the competition, both in Porto-Novo and in N'Djamena, was locked.

To get back to their seats without firing a shot, Patrice Talon and Idriss Deby Itno have created a void of opponents around them.

 "

Irregularities ...

Regarding Benin, some media point the finger this morning to the irregularities of the ballot…

La Nouvelle Tribun

e reports

the conclusions of the electoral platform of civil society organizations which followed the conduct of the vote.

This “ 

platform noted in all departments attempts to pressure, intimidate, threaten, disturb public order, corrupt or harass voters.

 "

Ballot stuffing, intimidation and kidnappings reported by civil society

 ,"

adds the Banouto news site

.

Elected certainly, but with what participation?

There is little doubt that President Patrice Talon will be reelected, most certainly even in the first round,

points out Le Monde Afrique

.

“ 

The participation rate

(a little over 66% in 2016)

is the great unknown of this election.

On him depends the legitimacy of Patrice Talon.

(…)

In the polling stations visited by the special envoy of the World in Cotonou and Porto Novo, the participation did not exceed 50% and the score of Patrice Talon oscillated between 80 and 93%.

 The results, on the whole of Beninese territory, are expected from this Monday.

Deby the irremovable ...

In Chad, at present, “

 the Ceni

(the Electoral Commission),

in a terse statement, welcomed the good holding of the presidential election.

 This is what

the Chad Infos site

notes

, without any other form of comment.

There too, no surprises to be expected… And

Le Pays

au Burkina

does not mince its words: “

The sham presidential election ended yesterday as it had started, with the almost general indifference of the 7.5 million voters. potentials.

The main reason: the lack of real stake in the ballot, with the current and irremovable president, Idriss Déby Itno, certain to remain in his post

(…).

The only enigma, if any enigma there is, is the score that the supposedly independent electoral commission will give it.

(…)

But it would be surprising if Marshal Déby did less well than the other satrap of Central Africa, Denis Sassou Nguesso, who unashamedly won nearly 89% of the vote during the presidential election in Congo-Brazzaville in March latest. 

"

Almost half of the population below the poverty line

The

" Maréchal du Sahel "

all sails out to win by KO !!!

 », Exclaims

Le Nouvel Observateur

in Kinshasa.

“ 

The majority of residents, however, seem to be disinterested in a ballot

" played in advance ",

she who tries painfully to make ends meet, between two cuts of water and electricity, sometimes several days in a row.

 "

And the Congolese bi-weekly recalled that “

 Chad is ranked 187th out of 189, according to the Human Development Index of the United Nations Development Program in 2020. In 2018, 42% of the population lived under the poverty line, according to the World Bank. 

"

What is more, the Chadian president could still drag on in power ... This is what

WalfQuotidien

notably

remarks

in Dakar: “

Marshal Idriss Déby Itno, in power for 31 years, is seeking a sixth term which will be six years this time. .

In 2018, the Chadian National Assembly passed a new Constitution which limits the number of presidential terms to two while extending its duration from five to six years.

This modification does not take into account the previous terms of Idriss Déby, who could thus remain in power until… 2033.

 ”

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