Ruptly
"Former economic and finance minister Romuald Wadagni was officially sworn in as Benin's fifth president at the Congress Palace in Cotonou on Sunday after securing a landslide victory in April's presidential elections. Footage shows Wadagni taking the presidential oath before a panel of judges, welcomed by the Army chief and other dignitaries in attendance. "In taking the oath before the nation, I also make a clear commitment: to be the guarantor of our institutions, the rule of law, and fundamental freedoms," said Wadagni during his inaugural address. "This day, I make a wish for our nation: that Benin remains free, that Benin stands tall, ever higher," he added. Wadagni received 94.27 percent of the vote alongside his vice president, Mariam Chabi Talata, who was also sworn in during the ceremony. The inauguration reportedly drew 6,000 dignitaries, including former presidents Nicephore Soglo and Thomas Boni Yayi, as well as high-level diplomatic and international delegations from neighbouring African countries. "The future is guaranteed and secure because we can see that he was part of the government that has just completed its term. He is not someone new to the country, nor someone who has just arrived; he is someone who was already within the system," said an attendee. "I believe the opposition has its place, quite simply because we are in a democracy, and at no point is any opponent forbidden from expressing themselves. [...] It will no longer be about opposing just for the sake of opposition, but about being an opposition that contributes to development," remarked another. The 49-year-old former Deloitte executive has served as economy and finance minister since 2016 and played a key role in implementing former president Patrice Talon's economic reforms. Under the Benin Constitution, the president leads the government, oversees national policy, and commands the armed forces. Romuald Wadagni becomes Benin's fifth president since the country's democratic revival in the 1990's. "
Go to News Site