Benin presidential election favourite Romuald Wadagni was on course for victory Monday as his opponent conceded defeat even as votes were still being counted.
Opposition candidate Paul Hounkpe offered "republican congratulations" to Wadagni, who had been widely tipped to win after being endorsed by outgoing leader Patrice Talon.
kAm~77:4:2= C6DF=ED 2C6 6IA64E65 ?@E 367@C6 %F6D52J[ 3FE (2528?:VD 23:=:EJ E@ 4@?;FC6 64@?@>:4 8C@HE9 :? E96 7246 @7 ;:925:DE 2EE24<D 82G6 9:> 2 4=62C =625[ 6G6? :7 E96 6:89E >:==:@?\DEC@?8 6=64E@C2E6 D9@H65 D42?E 6?E9FD:2D> 7@C 6:E96C 49@:46 367@C6 E96>[ ?@E23=J :? E96 4:E:6D]k^Am
kAmx? E96 42A:E2= !@CE@\}@G@[ EFC?@FE 7@C $F?52JVD G@E6 C2?865 7C@> ;FDE a_ E@ c_ A6C46?E 2E D@>6 A@==:?8 DE2E:@?D[ H9:=6 =:76 :? 64@?@>:4 42A:E2= r@E@?@F H2D =2C86=J 324< E@ :ED FDF2= 3FDE=6 3J >:552J @? |@?52J[ 2? pu! ;@FC?2=:DE @3D6CG65]k^Am
kAmw@F?<A6 C2? 2 =@H\<6J 42>A2:8? 2?5 ?66565 E96 96=A @7 >2;@C:EJ =2H>2<6CD E@ D64FC6 E96 C6BF:C65 A2C=:2>6?E2CJ 6?5@CD6>6?ED 6G6? E@ 86E @? E96 32==@E A2A6C]k^Am
kAm%96 >2:? @AA@D:E:@? %96 s6>@4C2ED A2CEJ 5:5 ?@E 7:6=5 2 42?5:52E6 2D :ED =6256C[ #6?2F5 p83@5;@[ 72:=65 E@ D64FC6 DF77:4:6?E 6?5@CD6>6?ED]k^Am
kAmu@C E96 >65:2[ :? E96 H@C5D @7 {6 %6=68C2>>6 52:=J[ E96 6=64E:@? H2D Q86?6C2==J 42=> 2?5 H6==\@C82?:D65[Q H9:=6 {6 |2E:? {:3C6 D2H Q(2528?: @? 9:D H2J E@ E96 |2C:?2[Q E96 AC6D:56?E:2= A2=246]k^Am
kAm{6 !2EC:@E6[ 9@H6G6C[ D2H QD:8?D @7 2? 6=64E@C2= 96:DE]Qk^Am
kAmQ(6 2C6 H2:E:?8 7@C E96 rt}p W6=64E@C2= 4@>>:DD:@?X E@ 4@?7:C> :? E96 4@>:?8 9@FCD H92E H6 2=C625J <?6Hi E96 F?5:DAFE65 G:4E@CJ @7 @FC 42?5:52E6[Q D2:5 #@>:?FD v?@?=@?7@F?[ 2 =625:?8 (2528?: DFAA@CE6C]k^Am
k9am\ r92==6?86D 29625 \k^9am
kAmy62? 56 s:6F w25;:?@F[ 2 >6>36C @7 w@F?<A6VD A2CEJ[ D2:5 96 5:5 ?@E ECFDE Q6:E96C D@4:2= >65:2 @C E96 AC6>2EFC6 46=63C2E:@?D @7 2 42>A E92E :D 2=C625J 4=2:>:?8 G:4E@CJ]Qk^Am
kAmu@C p=:>2E2[ 2 =@4< D6==6C :? E96 v3686>6J ?6:893@FC9@@5[ Q:7 E9:D 6=64E:@? @C (2528?:VD 2CC:G2= 42? 492?86 @FC =:G6D[ H6 D92== 36 92AAJ 3FE 7@C ?@H[ H6 92G6 E@ 7:?5 2 H2J E@ 7665 E96 72>:=J]k^Am
kAmt2C=:6C |@?52J[ E96 t4@?@>:4 r@>>F?:EJ @7 (6DE p7C:42? $E2E6D Wtr~(p$X 6=64E:@? @3D6CG2E:@? >:DD:@? AC2:D65 Q2 A62467F= 2E>@DA96C6Q 2?5 QE96 D>@@E9 CF??:?8 @7 E96 6=64E:@?]Qk^Am
kAm(2528?: 6>3@5:65 4@?E:?F:EJ H:E9 E96 %2=@? 6C2[ H9:49 92D D66? q6?:? 6?;@J C2A:5 64@?@>:4 8C@HE9[ 2? 6IA2?D:@? :? E@FC:D> 2?5 E96 4@>A=6E:@? @7 ?F>6C@FD :?7C2DECF4EFC6 AC@;64ED]Â k^Am
kAmqFE >2;@C 492==6?86D C6>2:?[ :?4=F5:?8 2 9F86 82A 36EH66? E96 92G6D 2?5 E96 92G6\?@ED :? 2 4@F?ECJ H96C6 E96 A@G6CEJ C2E6 :D 6DE:>2E65 2E >@C6 E92? b_ A6C46?E[ 2?5 >2?J 766= E96J 92G6 ?@E 76=E E96 36?67:ED @7 64@?@>:4 8C@HE9]k^Am
kAmq6?:?VD 64@?@>:4 8C@HE9 H:== 2=D@ 56A6?5 @? D64FC:EJ[ H:E9 E96 4@F?ECJVD ?@CE9 A=28F65 3J :?4C62D:?8=J 5625=J ;:925:DE G:@=6?46[ 42CC:65 @FE >2:?=J 3J p=\"2652VD $296= 3C2?49[ E96 vC@FA 7@C E96 $FAA@CE @7 xD=2> 2?5 |FD=:>D Wy}x|X]k^Am
kAm%96 ?6IE 6=64E:@?D 2C6 ?@E F?E:= a_bb[ 2D 2 4@?DE:EFE:@?2= C67@C> A2DD65 =2DE J62C 92D 6IE6?565 E96 AC6D:56?E:2= E6C> 7C@> 7:G6 J62CD E@ D6G6? 2?5 DJ?49C@?:D65 2== 6=64E:@?D E@ E2<6 A=246 E96?]k^Am
kAm3FC\A5H^4Hk^Am