Benin's Election: Wadagni's Path to Power

0:00It's April 8th. This is Global News Today, powered by AI, bringing you what matters globally. Benin's presidential election hits this Sunday, with Finance Minister Romiolt Wadagni, the 49-year-old heavy favorite stepping up to replace. Term-limited President Patrice Talon, Wadagni, a former Deloitte exec and Harvard-trained economist, has been Talon's right hand, driving big economic winds like tripling the national, budget and delivering the country's highest GDP growth in over 20 years from cotton exports. Talon's time in office tighten control at the top, sidelining opposition parties and paving Wadagni's smooth path, he's the only real contender. Against one minor rival, Wadagni stresses continuity, calling his bond with Talon like father and son, while pitching new development hubs, better health care access, and tourism boost nationwide. Heavy threats loom large, though, with jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State ramping

1:00up attacks in the north near borders with Niger. And Nigeria, Benin's soldiers face heavy losses, like 54 killed in one strike last year, and 15 more last month, turning remote areas into... Hot spots experts say it's the worst threat the country's ever seen. A failed coup by soldiers in early December nearly derailed the vote, sparked by gripes over frontline neglect amid those jihadist fights. Wadagni's hitting northern towns with rallies, vowing local police forces to lock down borders and prove the government's got full control. As votes roll in, Wadagni promises the same serious money management if he wins, but ongoing violence could tighten the government's grip even more, squeezing what's left of opposition voices in this coastal west African nation.