2026 presidential election in Benin: the party Les Démocrates denounces “shady maneuvers” at the CENA
The party Les Démocrates accuses the Autonomous National Electoral Commission (Céna) of obstructing the validation of the candidacy file for its duo Renaud Agbodjo – Jude Lodjou. In a statement read Friday, October 17, 2025, by Guy Mitokpè, the party referred to “opaque procedures” and warned of a “real threat” to the safety of its candidates.
SUMMARY
The Les Démocrates Party (LD) announced on Friday, October 17, that it had completed the candidacy file for its presidential ticket, made up of lawyers Renaud Agbodjo and Jude Lodjou, by submitting the final sponsorship form required by the Céna. But, according to the party, the procedure was marred by blatant irregularities and internal pressures within the electoral institution.
When reading the statement to the press, Guy Mitokpè, the party’s communications officer, recounted the events. According to him, after the initial filing of the dossier on October 14, a provisional receipt had been issued requesting a missing document: a sponsorship form signed by deputy Michel Sodjinou. This form, the statement says, was signed “freely and without pressure” and was officially handed to the Céna that Friday at 9 a.m., in the presence of candidate Renaud Agbodjo and a party delegation.
But at the moment of finalizing the procedure, Céna officials allegedly suspended the issuance of the completion document on the pretext of an “error” requiring the production of a new form containing “other details.” A demand that candidate Agbodjo refused, arguing that no previous form had been altered in that way. A bailiff’s report was drawn up to record the incident.
“A troubling identity confusion” at the heart of the Céna
Les Démocrates also denounce a “troubling confusion” surrounding the presence of a bailiff presented as the Céna’s, but who, according to the statement, turned out to be deputy Michel Sodjinou’s personal bailiff. “Such a confusion of identity and role, at such a crucial moment in the electoral process, can only raise questions about the Céna’s neutrality and transparency,” the statement emphasizes.
According to the party, despite the regularity of the submission, the Céna ultimately refused to hand over the signed form, fueling suspicions of “dilatory maneuvers.” “This attitude raises serious questions about the Commission’s internal practices and the influences to which it may be subject,” added Guy Mitokpè.
Faced with this situation, the party announced that it has brought the matter before the Constitutional Court to assert its rights. It is calling on civil society, international partners and citizens “devoted to democracy” to be vigilant to prevent any “seizure of the electoral process.”
Les Démocrates warn about the security of their candidates
In the final part of the statement, Les Démocrates assert that their candidates’ security is under threat. “This alert should not be taken lightly, because the regime, as in 2021, by the same methods, targeted our candidates. You know what happened next,” the text warns, without giving further details.
The party holds the government responsible for ensuring the safety of all citizens “without political considerations.” “The presidential elections will not take place without Les Démocrates. Let us mobilize for the restoration of democracy and the rule of law,” Les Démocrates said.
“There can be no true democracy without a free, transparent, inclusive and fair election,” the party recalled, quoting the words of the late Archbishop Isidore de Souza: “May heaven spare us from any bloodbath.”
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