Photos: Final Campaign Day In Benin

Campaigns for the 2026 Benin presidential election drew to a close on Friday. Candidates, political party members and Beninese citizens are gearing up for Sunday’s election in the West African country.

Campaign posters of 49-year-old Romuald Wadagni, the country’s finance minister, whom many have described as Talon’s anointed candidate in the poll, dominate major streets and corners across Porto Novo, revealing the ruling party’s grip on the country’s capital.

Benin President Patrice Talon’s second term in office is coming to an end, marking the end of his decade-long rule. News Central’s correspondent, Sagir Ibrahim, who is covering the election in the Republic of Benin, said the ruling party and its candidate dominate in the country’s capital.

“There’s a dominant presence of the ruling party and its candidate. Of course, a candidate many have described as the anointed candidate of the incumbent president Patrice Talon.
We tried speaking with a couple of individuals here,” said Ibrahim.

“What I got from the first conversation that I had with some of these individuals was, just to let you understand, they asked me the question who I’ve been seeing around everywhere and anywhere that I go, and whether I can honestly say that the opposition candidates stand a chance. These points suggest they already feel this election might be a walkover for the candidate.

56-year-old Paul Hounkpè has been described by many as Talon’s rival. Other candidates for the keenly contested seat in ‘Palais de la Marina’, Benin’s presidential palace, are Kémi Séba, Prince Anatole Ouinsavi, Renaud Agbodjo and Elisabeth Agbossaga.