Benin: Guy Mitokpè rejects the opportunist label and embraces his political shift.

Guy Dossou Mitokpè does not want his joining the presidential movement to be seen as a quest for political reward. Criticized since his departure from the Les Démocrates party and his support for the Wadagni-Talata duo, the former national communication secretary of the opposition group emphasized the motivations behind his choice.

On Bip Radio, he explained that his change of position was not driven by a logic of “dividends” to be collected after Romuald Wadagni’s victory in the presidential election on April 12, 2026. For him, a political reassessment should not be understood as a self-serving move.

“By reassessing my position, it wasn’t necessarily to harvest dividends. You do not reassess your political position thinking about collecting dividends right away. You might as well say that you are an opportunist. I am not,” he declared.

The former parliamentarian thus says he embraces his choice without complexes. He claims to have engaged in the new dynamic out of conviction, not for personal gain. “My entire journey speaks for me. I am not an opportunist. I am a person of conviction,” he insisted.

A commitment presented as a choice of conviction

For Guy Mitokpè, political commitment must first be measured by the usefulness one can have for the people and the country. He argues that his repositioning responds to this logic, in a context where he believes he can put his skills at the service of the Republic.

“When I engage, it’s because I believe I am here to bring something good to the masses. I can bring something good to the country. And that is naturally the reason why we got engaged,” he explained.

This statement comes several weeks after his departure from the Les Démocrates party, which he had long been a part of. Before the presidential election, the opposition party was excluded from the election due to insufficient sponsorships and had officially opted for a stance of neutrality. However, several officials or former leaders had decided to publicly support Romuald Wadagni, the candidate of the presidential movement.

Guy Mitokpè was among those personalities who chose to break from the official position of their former party. His rallying caused many reactions, particularly within the opposition, where some militants perceived it as a difficult-to-justify turnaround.

Skills to serve the Republic

In the face of criticism, the former deputy defends a different perspective. He acknowledges having potential and skills that he wishes to put at the service of the country. But he specifies that the main objective should not be the pursuit of a position or personal advantage.

“Certainly, we have potential. We have abilities today to put at the disposal of the Republic. But the most important thing is that the beneficiaries are better off,” he made known.

Through this statement, Guy Mitokpè seeks to dissociate his political choice from any immediate expectation of appointment. His comments come as the former officials of the Démocrates who joined the Wadagni camp are closely observed, especially after the formation of the new president’s first government and the initial appointments within the state apparatus.

For now, these alliances have not led to a visible integration of these former opposition figures into the inner circle of power. This situation fuels comments about the political calculations that may have guided some departures from the Démocrates.

Guy Mitokpè, however, refutes this interpretation. He asserts that his commitment should be understood as a politically assumed decision, based on the conviction that he can contribute to public action. His message is clear: his political shift would not be that of a man seeking reward, but that of a player who expresses a desire to continue serving the country differently.