Monday, January 04, 2016

Business tycoon enters Benin presidential race

Benin's president Thomas Boni Yayi, mediating in post-coup talks in Burkina Faso (L) delivers a speech following a meeting on September 23, 2015 in Ouagadougou


                               President Thomas Boni Yayi says he will not seek a third term
Benin business tycoon Sebastien Ajavon has announced that he will contest next month's presidential
election, in a move that will pit two of the West African state's most famous entrepreneurs against each other, AFP news agency reports.
Mr Ajavon, who amassed a fortune in the food industry, will run against fellow tycoon Patrice Talon, a cotton magnate.
Mr Talon is considered the main opponent of the governing party's candidate, Lionel Zinsou, the current prime minister who is a former investment banker, AFP reports.
President Thomas Boni Yayi is stepping down at the end of his two terms.
 "I said yes to your request to be president, regardless of what sex, religion, political affiliation or region you come from," Mr Ajavon said at a campaign rally in the main city Cotonou on Sunday.

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