*PRESS RELEASE*
*Cotonou, Benin, 12 April 2026*
*Slow start to Benin’s Presidential Election*
Beninese voters trickled to polling stations on Sunday (12 April 2026) to cast their ballots for a new leader to replace outgoing President Patrice Talon, with electoral officials waiting patiently at some polling centres in Cotonou visited by the Head of the ECOWAS Observation Mission, former Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo and his delegation.
At polling unit EPP 03 in Cadjehoun Quarters, the first visited by the Head of Mission, the polling agents said they arrived at 5 am, while the first voter, Madam Christine Djossou, 68, cast her ballot at 7.20 am.
The unit has 580 registered voters, comprising 286 males and 294 females.
The official voting period is 7 am to 4 pm local time.
At polling unit 02 in the Charles Guillot voting centre in Zongo quarters, with 560 registered voters, two voters had cast their ballots by 7.40 am.
There was a security presence, but no agents of political parties/candidates at the centres visited by the ECOWAS Head of Mission.
His delegation included Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, who leads the ECOWAS Commission’s technical support team to the Mission, Amb. Léné Dimban, representing the ECOWAS Permanent Representative Committee, and Amb. Amadou Diongue, ECOWAS Resident Representative to Benin.
Reports from some of the 125 ECOWAS Observers in the field also indicated a slow process.
Polling officials said they expected voting to pick up during the day because some voters would prefer to attend the Church service on Sunday before going to vote.
In his early impression, the Head of ECOWAS Mission highlighted the peaceful atmosphere and the proper organisation. He also observed the “low enthusiasm” by voters, expressing the hope for a peaceful and transparent process and outcome.
The Head of Mission and his team were scheduled to visit more polling centres, the ECOWAS Situation Room and observe the closure of balloting.
Benin Minister of Finance for 10 years, Romuald Wadagni, is the presidential candidate of the ruling Coalition, while Paul Hounkpè, Culture Minister under former President Yayi Boni, is the flag-bearer of the opposition Cowry Forces.
The national electoral Commission, CENA, registered 7.8 million voters from Benin’s estimated 14 million population, who are expected to cast their ballots in more than 17,000 polling centres at home and in the Diaspora.##
