Benin: President Talon promises to serve with humility

The businessman Patrice Talon, winner of the presidential election in Benin with more than 65% of the vote, was sworn in Wednesday in Porto-Novo, with the promise to be a humble and simple president.

“With my term I will exercise state power with dignity and simplicity,” he is reported to have said.

The wealthy 57- year old businessman and his wife arrived at around 10:30 ( 0930 GMT ) at the Charles de Gaulle stadium in Benin’s capital, where he was sworn in the presence of politicians , traditional and religious , and representations diplomatic, but in the absence of foreign heads of the state.

Patrice #Talon (patrice_talon) investi président du #Bénin https://t.co/Yfx8sUKvzr via ortb_info #Vote229 pic.twitter.com/SPX6sE6NXE

— BeninVote 2016 (@Vote_229) April 6, 2016

Nicknamed “King Cotton” Patrice Talon funded Boni Yayi’s two presidential campaigns, one in 2006 and another in 2011 before becoming his main rival and accused of trying to poison Yayi. He went In exile in Paris for several years. He was only able to return to Benin last few months, after getting a pardon from the president

He also disclosed that he will be governing for only five-year term.

“I will discharge my duties as President of the Republic with humility, selflessness and sacrifice for the welfare of all,” he said.

In his inauguration speech, he mentioned the rise of extremism in the subregion . He made ​​the fight against terrorism one of the major challenges of his mandate.

AFP