Military Coup in Benin Republic has removed President Patrice Talon from office, and has named Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri as head of the newly formed “Military Committee for Refoundation” after Soldiers seized national television.
A group of soldiers appeared on Benin’s state television on Sunday to announce the dissolution of the government in what is being described as an apparent coup, marking yet another power seizure in West Africa.
The soldiers declared the removal of the president and all state institutions.
President Patrice Talon, who has been in office since 2016, was scheduled to leave office next April after the presidential election.
His party’s preferred candidate, former Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, had been widely viewed as the frontrunner.
Opposition candidate Renaud Agbodjo was disqualified by the electoral commission on the grounds that he did not have “sufficient sponsors.”
The takeover comes a month after Benin’s legislature extended the presidential term from five to seven years while retaining the two-term limit.
