VZCZCXRO8306
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHCO #0201/01 1010104
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 100104Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0263
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1253
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0328

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COTONOU 000201 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W DBANKS 
PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: LOCAL ELECTIONS PREPARATIONS AMIDST POLITICAL 
TENSION AND ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD 
 
REF: (A) COTONOU 104 (B) COTONOU 43 (C) 07 COTONOU 817 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Preparations for local elections, now scheduled for 
April 20, continue apace in Benin against a backdrop of logistical 
problems, alleged fraud, and mounting political tension.  The 
National Independent Electoral Commission (CENA) completed voter 
registration.  Tension between President Yayi's political coalition, 
Force Cowrie for an Emerging Benin (FCBE), and his former allies in 
the other political parties reached a climax in a public meeting of 
party leaders, during which they denounced his Presidency. The 
police arrested and released eleven CENA officials allegedly 
involved in an illegal withdrawal of voter identification cards from 
the CENA. END SUMMARY. 
 
-------------------------------- 
President Yayi versus G13 and G4 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Relations between President Yayi and his political 
opponents have grown tenser over the last month.  President Yayi 
faces two different groups of loosely allied political leaders.  The 
first is known as the G13, a group of 13 National Assembly deputies 
from minor political parties. These deputies originally supported 
the FCBE in the National Assembly but split away from the President 
in February over his decision to run a single list of FCBE 
candidates in the municipal elections instead of allowing coalition 
member parties to field their own candidates.  The second group is 
the G4, a loose grouping of Benin's four main political parties, 
outside of the FCBE, which include the Renaissance of Benin (RB - 
Nicephore Soglo) party, the Party of Democratic Renewal (PRD - 
Adrien Houngbeji), the Social Democrat Party (PSD - Bruno Amoussou) 
and the African Movement for Development and Progress Party (MADEP - 
Sefou Fagbohoun). Their leaders made a very public joint declaration 
harshly criticizing President Yayi's government and policies on 
March 12.  The G4 feels it has been shut out of President Yayi's 
government, and takes issue with his frequent "campaign" style trips 
and his almost daily appearances on local television stations. 
 
3.(SBU) In an attempt to defuse tensions President Yayi turned to 
the government mediator, Albert Tevoedjre, one of his political 
mentors, to establish dialogue with the G13 and G4.  Teveoedjre's 
efforts have been mostly for naught.  According to an embassy source 
close to PRD's president Adrien Houngbedji, Teveoedjre is seen as a 
tool of President Yayi, and PRD sees little reason to cooperate with 
him.  While some sources are willing to speak freely about the 
upcoming elections, the embassy has noticed a reticence on the part 
of many to speak about the elections, much of which can be 
attributed to this week's accusations against RB members of stealing 
election materials. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Disappearance of 50,000 Voter Cards 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) On April 2, the police arrested 11 members of the CENA, 
including the CENA's Budget Coordinator and other members from the 
CENA's local body in the Littoral District, which includes Cotonou, 
on allegations of theft of voter materials.  According to press 
reports, those arrested are accused misappropriating 50,000 blank 
voter identification cards from the CENA headquarters under the 
pretext of supplying local registration agents.  The current 
location and exact numbers of the cards are unknown.  The accused 
include several active RB members which casts a pall of suspicion on 
the RB party.  Note: The race for control of Cotonou's city hall is 
expected to be fierce with President Yayi's FCBE fielding Jerome 
Dandjinou, the current Port Director, in opposition to the RB's 
current Mayor and former Beninese President Nicephore Soglo (RB). In 
2002 Mr. Dandjinou also served as head of the Cotonou District, 
equivalent to the mayor position today; his social and economic 
achievements were much appreciated while holding this position. End 
Note. On April 1, Rosine Soglo, member of the National Assembly, 
party leader of RB, fraction chief of ADD, a parliamentarian 
grouping, and wife of the Mayor, went to the CENA to express regret 
for the alleged theft of the 50,000 voter's cards. End Note.  On 
April 3, Cotonou's public prosecutor arraigned the 11 accused 
persons and the court placed them in pre-trial detention. On April 8 
the Cotonou Court released them after a trial. 
 
¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: The tensions characterizing the current political 
climate are typical during the preparation of elections in Benin. 
This time the tensions are higher than usual, however, because 
President Yayi's FCBE seeks to challenge the G13 and G4 for control 
of municipalities in their strongholds of Cotonou and Parakou in 
advance of the 2011 presidential elections. The accusations of voter 
identification card theft are problematic, because they could be an 
indicator of more wide-spread fraud and serve losing parties 
 
COTONOU 00000201  002 OF 002 
 
 
ammunition to contest the election results.  While many observers 
think President Yayi should try to bring the political parties 
together in the interests of social peace, this will prove 
increasingly difficult after these hotly contested municipal 
elections and the likelihood of the G4 and the G13 jockeying for 
position as they look ahead to the 2011 presidential election.  END 
COMMENT 
 
BROWN