My people, e don happen o! Na Benin we dey talk about, as dem prepare for another political wahala for January 15, 2026. The country dey buzz after one attempted coup shake their grounds last month. Now, dem dey ready for local and parliamentary elections wey fit change wetin dey happen for their government.
President Patrice Talon wey gree make e ruling coalition hold ground, dey expect to tighten im grip for power again. But see ehn, di main opposition party, Democrats, don dey barred from joining local elections because dem no fit secure enough endorsement signatures. Na wah! How dem wan win election like dat?
As dem go dey march to the polls, ego be tense time for Benin. People still dey feel di hit from di failed coup attempt wey happen for December 7, where military quickly end am with help from our Naija and France guys. Talon don dey run di show for Benin since about 10 years ago and e don dey bring some economic growth too. But the matter no clear, as many dey complain say e dey curtail opposition and civil liberties.
Security na big issue wey dey make people dey look face. Di northern part of Benin don dey suffer wahala from terrorist groups wey dey come from Burkina Faso and Niger. Na true matter sha! Talon no fit run for di April presidential election again because di constitution no allow am, but im don pick Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni as im preferred successor. E be like say Wadagni dey fly as di next big thing!
Wadagni go face Paul Hounkpe wey dey represent di smaller FCBE party for presidential race. This FCBE guys don dey make plans to join with di ruling coalition if dem fit win seats dis Sunday. Di political game dey full of strategies as dem prepare for di battle.
But here be di gist o, after dis round of elections, Benin no go see nationwide elections for years! As e be now, many dey talk say dem dey take di people’s freedoms off like dey dey quarantine am. Some analysts don dey raise alarm say di opposition fit turn to zero parliamentary seats if dem no fit meet di 20% voter support wey di law require. Na wetin we go talk say? Seems like dem wan make dem work hard to shine.
Some big names like Amnesty International don talk say civic space for Benin dey shrink, citing cases of attacks on independent media and how dem dey arrest people wey dey express their views. But di ruling party don dismiss those claims. E no easy for Benin but dem gats find their way!
As dem dey prepare for elections, we dey observe wetin fit happen. Will Talon’s crew continue to dominate, or go dem give di opposition a chance? Na so e be, my people! Keep your tab on dis space because dis story no go finish here. Elections go dey scatter ground, and we dey know say di outcome fit decide di future for this West African nation.
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