Opposition candidate concedes defeat to Wadagni in Benin presidential race

COTONOU, April 13 (Reuters) – The sole opposition candidate in Benin’s presidential election, Paul Hounkpe, has conceded defeat to finance minister Romuald Wadagni in the presidential election held on Sunday, Benin state television reported on Monday.

A 49-year-old former executive of accountants Deloitte, Wadagni is the chosen successor of outgoing President Patrice Talon and had the backing of the ruling coalition in the election, which took place four months after the government was nearly toppled in a coup attempt.

The opposition candidate, Paul Hounkpe of the Cowry Forces for an Emerging Benin party, acknowledged his defeat in a statement on Monday before provisional results were announced, according to a social media post by state television network.

Wadagni was the overwhelming favourite after the main opposition party, The Democrats, failed to get enough lawmakers to sponsor a candidate of its own and did not back Hounkpe.

Wadagni will come under pressure to bolster the country’s defences in the north, which faces a growing threat from jihadist groups based in the central Sahel.

The disgruntled soldiers who staged the December coup attempt said they were partly motivated by deteriorating security conditions there.

Wadagni has also vowed to deliver on bread-and-butter issues like expanding access to clean water, expanding social security programmes, and ​guaranteeing emergency healthcare regardless of ability to pay.

(Reporting by Pulcherie Adjoha; Writing by Robbie Corey-BouletEditing by Bate Felix)