2001 Beninese presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Benin on 4 March 2001, with a second round run-off on 18 March. They controversially resulted in the re-election of Mathieu Kérékou for a second term. Kérékou's rival Nicéphore Soglo, who had been president from 1991 to 1996, failed in his bid to reclaim the presidency; although he qualified to participate in the second round of the election against Kérékou, he refused to do so, alleging electoral fraud. Adrien Houngbédji, the parliament speaker and third-placed candidate, also refused to participate in a second round. As a result, Kérékou faced fourth-place candidate Bruno Amoussou, who was planning minister and had already given his support to Kérékou, in the second round; Kérékou won an easy victory with 84% of the vote.[1][2]

2001 Beninese presidential election
4 March 2001 (first round)
18 March 2001 (second round)
 
Candidate Mathieu Kérékou Bruno Amoussou
Party FARD-Alafia Social Democratic
Popular vote 1,282,855 250,940
Percentage 83.64% 16.36%
President before election

Mathieu Kérékou
Independent

 Elected President

Mathieu Kérékou
FARD-Alafia

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After the election, it was revealed that the Titan Corporation, a defense contractor based in the United States, had illegally provided $2 million to Kérékou's re-election campaign. The company pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $28.5 million in fines and civil penalties, the largest penalty under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act up to that point, for bribery and filing false tax returns.[3][4]

Results
CandidatePartyFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
Mathieu KérékouAction Front for Renewal and Development1,127,10045.421,282,85583.64
Nicéphore SogloBenin Rebirth Party672,92727.12
Adrien HoungbédjiDemocratic Renewal Party313,18612.62
Bruno AmoussouSocial Democratic Party213,1368.59250,94016.36
Sacca LafiaUnion for Democracy and National Solidarity29,6561.20
François-Xavier LokoIndependent16,6560.67
Soulé DankoroDemocratic Party15,6140.63
Adébayo AbimbolaNational Rally for Democracy15,2510.61
Wallis ZoumarouNational Union for Solidarity and Progress13,5760.55
Rhétice DagbaIndependent12,6970.51
Marie-Elise GbèdoIndependent8,9520.36
Léandre DjagouéLiberal Democrats' Rally for National Reconstruction – Vivoten8,5650.35
Lionel AgboAfrican Congress of Democrats8,2260.33
Gatien HoungbédjiDemocratic Union for Social and Economic Development8,0920.33
Olofindji AkandéIndependent6,2580.25
Sadikou AlaoNational Alliance for a Democratic Alternative6,2230.25
François KouyamiIndependent5,4140.22
Total2,481,529100.001,533,795100.00
Valid votes2,481,52993.201,533,79589.82
Invalid/blank votes181,0666.80173,80910.18
Total votes2,662,595100.001,707,604100.00
Registered voters/turnout3,034,47187.743,152,36554.17
Source: African Elections Database

References
  1. "Benin 'day of mourning'" BBC News, 6 April 2001
  2. Elections in Benin African Elections Database
  3. Fitrakis, Bob (July 18, 2007). "Did U.S. intelligence assets kill Antioch College?". Scoop. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  4. "Business | US company admits Benin bribery". BBC News. 2005-03-02. Retrieved 2014-05-24.
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