Skip to main content

Benin Rep. parliamentary election turns violent as protesters set cars, buildings ablaze


 Violence broke out  in Cotonou on Wednesday, following the order  of President Talon for the arrest of former President Boni Yayi after calling for the  cancellation of Sunday's parliamentary election.



More than sixty(60) cars were set ablaze by aggrieved protesters some of whom had earlier barricaded  major streets leading to Yaya Boni's house, when soldiers encircled his home.

Earlier results announced by the commission showed a record low turnout in the poll, as opposition leaders were barred from fielding any candidates for the controversial parliamentary election.


According to an AFP reporter demonstrators  erected makeshift barriers of burning tires, as police fired tear gas to push the scattered protests back.

Many citizens heeded the opposition and Yaya Boni's call for boycott of  the polls, with over three- quarters of the five million registered voters staying away.

Voters turnout for the Sunday poll was low because candidates of the opposition party were not allowed to contest, while only came two parties - the Republican Bloc and the Progressive Union — both loyal to President Talon fielded candidates

Late on Tuesday , the election commission chairman Emmanuel Tiando announced that 22 .99 percent of registered voters had cast ballots,
Turnout has never dropped below 50 percent since the country’ s transition to democracy in 1990.

The two parties loyal to Talon will share all of parliament ’s 83 seats .

The Progressive Union is expected to get 47, and the Republican Bloc 36 seats , subject to final official confirmation of results.

Commission chairman Tiando said voting did not take place in 39 of the country’ s 546 districts due to “ incidents ”

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

MMA is a disgrace to Nigeria, the designer is a traitor – Tunde Alabi-Hundeyin writes VP Osinbajo

Oredola Adeola|  Movie and Documentary producer, Tunde Alabi-Hundeyin Dudu, has exposed the level of rot at the Muritala Muhammed Airport, Lagos in an open letter written to Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President. In the letter, the Documentary photographer, disclosed that the arrival system in Muritala Muhammed airport is a disgrace to Nigeria. He particularly noted that Nigeria has no aviation Minister, adding that whosoever designed the arrival system in MMA is a traitor. Tunde Alabi-Hundeyin He said, “Sir I’m directing my comments to you because I’m aware you toured that airport before the elections. They showed you the glittering lounges . However when you arrive in Nigeria or you go to receive someone arriving, it’s a horror story. It’s a total disgrace. Let me explain. “I had cause to go and welcome someone coming in from the US. We parked in the designated car park. Then the obstacles started. The path you have to trek to get to the front of the arrival hal...

Rosatom's TVEL, AllWeld Nuclear, industrial agree to cooperate nuclear backend area

Allen Atwiine, Uganda  The TVEL JSC, Managing Company of Rosatom's Fuel Division, and AllWeld Nuclear and Industrial, a South African firm, have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation which is focused on decommissioning and radioactive waste (RW) management at nuclear facilities in South Africa. The memorandum was signed by the party during the African Energy Week (AEW) 2024 in Cape Town on Tuesday.  The Editorials gathered that the Memoradium outlined a framework for cooperation and the implementation of joint initiatives.  Our correspondent gathered that the document was signed by Eduard Nikitin, Director for Decommissioning and RW Management at TVEL JSC, and Mervyn Fischer, CEO of AllWeld Nuclear and Industrial. Nikitin explained that the memorandum outlined plans for collaborative efforts in scientific, technical, and commercial activities related to the decommissioning of nuclear power plants and other facilities that pose nuclear and radiation hazards. He said, "The key...

Wikimedia Nigeria Foundation honours Folorunsho Coker, Kayode Akintemi

Oredola Adeola Wikimedia Nigeria Foundation has honoured Mr. Folorunsho Coker, Director-General of National Tourism Development Commission (NTDC) and Kayode Akintemi, Managing Director, Plus TV Africa, with Distinguished Personality Award for their contributions to the growth and development of open knowledge in Nigeria. The award ceremony was held at the Plus TV Africa studio in Victoria Island, Lagos at the weekend. Mr. Olaniyan Olushola, President, Wikimedia Nigeria Foundation Inc., while congratulating the award recipients, encouraged them to continue to promote open knowledge in Nigeria. The NTDC boss, according to Wikimedia, is a dominant force in the promotion of diversity in the Nigeria tourism sector and open knowledge in the country, adding that the NTDC under Coker has been supporting Wikimedia outreach programs (Wiki Loves Monuments, Wiki loves Earths). Olushola said, “Through the support of NTDC, professional photographers working with Wikimedia have received limitl...