Presidential elections were held in Dahomey from 9 March to 28 March 1970.[1] Voting took place "in one province at a time" in Dahomey's six departments. However, on 28 March, the ruling military council suspended further voting because of violence between supporters of the three main candidates. At the time the voting was halted, Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin of Dahomey's had received a plurality of the vote, but disagreements between factions in other parts of the country led to the results being annulled.[2] The compromise announced by the military junta on 1 May was to appoint the three leading candidates – former Presidents Sourou-Migan Apithy and Hubert Maga, and former Prime Minister Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin – to a three-man Presidential Council to rule the country, rotating the presidency every two years, effectively declaring all three men as the election winners.[3][4] Maga served the first two-year term, before handing over to Ahomadégbé in 1972, who was then removed from office by a coup led by Mathieu Kérékou later in the year.[4] Voter turnout in the election was 56.7%.[5]
On 10 December 1969 President Émile Derlin Zinsou was overthrown by Maurice Kouandété, who had installed him as president in 1968. However, the military refused to recognise Kouandété.[6] As the two men could not reach agreement, a Military Directorate was established with Paul-Émile de Souza as its chairman.[7] Elections were organised to determine the true president.
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The three candidates were allowed to campaign, and they did not miss the chance.[8] Intimidation and bribery were commonplace, and the electoral campaign saw the return of regional loyalties.[9] It was also marked by a series of violent outbursts; invalidated reports state that six people were killed or wounded at incidents in Parakou on the eve of the elections. Fellow candidate Zinsou asserted that Maga supporters had killed one of his supporters during said incidents.[8]
Resultsedit
The accusations made against him did not affect Maga's standing in the polls; he received a majority of the vote in the north, and Apithy and Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin received a majority in the southeast and southwest/central, respectively.[6] The election results showed a victory for Maga with 252,551 votes, 200,091 for Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin, and 186,332 for Apithy.[10] In the entire south, Maga received 24,000 votes compared to the 180,000 who voted for him in the Borgou Department, obtaining 97.3 percent of the 78 percent turnout.[11] Zinsou, running to counter the constant tribal clashes, received 3 percent,[12] with 17,551 votes.[10]
Following the election, de Souza decided to nullify the results from Atakora, the region where Maga received the most votes,[7] on 3 April.[13] Outraged, Maga formed the Assembly of the Peoples of the North, which threatened to secede unless he was declared President.[14] He refused to leave his campaign headquarters at Parakou even to attend political meetings. Maga's reaction to the nullification prompted many southern workers to flee the north.[15] Apithy stated that he would convince his region to join Nigeria if Maga took the presidency and took steps to bribe his way into that office.[11] Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin claimed Maga had defrauded the electoral system to his advantage. In contrast with the other three former presidents, Zinsou admitted that he had been defeated and decided participate in bargaining,[15] explaining that he rejected the idea of a coalition "for personal reasons".[16] The other former Presidents, on the other hand, agreed to a hasty compromise on 13 April to prevent a civil war.[13]
Referencesedit
^"Violence Cited in Suspending Dahomey Voting 'Temporarily'", Agence France-Presse report, in The Courier-Journal (Louisville KY), 30 March 1970
^Benin: History The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia
^"Dahomey Initiates Rotating Presidency", Philadelphia Inquirer, 2 May 1970, p4
^ abAgence France-Presse (27 March 1970), "Slayings Reported and Regional Tension Rises as Dahomey Votes for President" (PDF), The New York Times, p. 6, retrieved 2008-12-14.
Decalo, Samuel (April 1973), "Regionalism, Politics, and the Military in Dahomey", The Journal of Developing Areas, College of Business, Tennessee State University, 7 (3): 449–478, JSTOR 4190033.
Dossou-Yovo, Noel (September 1999), "The Experience of Benin", International Journal on World Peace, 16 (3), ISSN 0742-3640, OCLC 211426384.
Hudgens, Jim; Trillo, Richard; Calonnec, Nathalie (2003), The Rough Guide to West Africa, London: Rough Guides, ISBN1-84353-118-6, OCLC 176832097.
1970, dahomeyan, presidential, election, presidential, elections, were, held, dahomey, from, march, march, 1970, voting, took, place, province, time, dahomey, departments, however, march, ruling, military, council, suspended, further, voting, because, violence. Presidential elections were held in Dahomey from 9 March to 28 March 1970 1 Voting took place in one province at a time in Dahomey s six departments However on 28 March the ruling military council suspended further voting because of violence between supporters of the three main candidates At the time the voting was halted Justin Ahomadegbe Tometin of Dahomey s had received a plurality of the vote but disagreements between factions in other parts of the country led to the results being annulled 2 The compromise announced by the military junta on 1 May was to appoint the three leading candidates former Presidents Sourou Migan Apithy and Hubert Maga and former Prime Minister Ahomadegbe Tometin to a three man Presidential Council to rule the country rotating the presidency every two years effectively declaring all three men as the election winners 3 4 Maga served the first two year term before handing over to Ahomadegbe in 1972 who was then removed from office by a coup led by Mathieu Kerekou later in the year 4 Voter turnout in the election was 56 7 5 1970 Dahomeyan presidential election9 28 March 1970 1991 Registered997 226Turnout56 69 Candidate Justin Ahomadegbe Tometin Sourou Migan Apithy Hubert MagaPopular vote 200 092 176 828 152 551Percentage 36 57 32 32 27 88 President before electionPaul Emile de Souza Elected President Election annulled Contents 1 Background 2 Campaign 3 Results 4 Aftermath 5 References 6 BibliographyBackground editOn 10 December 1969 President Emile Derlin Zinsou was overthrown by Maurice Kouandete who had installed him as president in 1968 However the military refused to recognise Kouandete 6 As the two men could not reach agreement a Military Directorate was established with Paul Emile de Souza as its chairman 7 Elections were organised to determine the true president Campaign editThe three candidates were allowed to campaign and they did not miss the chance 8 Intimidation and bribery were commonplace and the electoral campaign saw the return of regional loyalties 9 It was also marked by a series of violent outbursts invalidated reports state that six people were killed or wounded at incidents in Parakou on the eve of the elections Fellow candidate Zinsou asserted that Maga supporters had killed one of his supporters during said incidents 8 Results editThe accusations made against him did not affect Maga s standing in the polls he received a majority of the vote in the north and Apithy and Ahomadegbe Tometin received a majority in the southeast and southwest central respectively 6 The election results showed a victory for Maga with 252 551 votes 200 091 for Ahomadegbe Tometin and 186 332 for Apithy 10 In the entire south Maga received 24 000 votes compared to the 180 000 who voted for him in the Borgou Department obtaining 97 3 percent of the 78 percent turnout 11 Zinsou running to counter the constant tribal clashes received 3 percent 12 with 17 551 votes 10 CandidateVotes Justin Ahomadegbe Tometin200 09236 57Sourou Migan Apithy176 82832 32Hubert Maga152 55127 88Emile Derlin Zinsou17 6533 23Total547 124100 00Valid votes547 12496 78Invalid blank votes18 2233 22Total votes565 347100 00Registered voters turnout997 22656 69Source Nohlen et al Aftermath editFollowing the election de Souza decided to nullify the results from Atakora the region where Maga received the most votes 7 on 3 April 13 Outraged Maga formed the Assembly of the Peoples of the North which threatened to secede unless he was declared President 14 He refused to leave his campaign headquarters at Parakou even to attend political meetings Maga s reaction to the nullification prompted many southern workers to flee the north 15 Apithy stated that he would convince his region to join Nigeria if Maga took the presidency and took steps to bribe his way into that office 11 Ahomadegbe Tometin claimed Maga had defrauded the electoral system to his advantage In contrast with the other three former presidents Zinsou admitted that he had been defeated and decided participate in bargaining 15 explaining that he rejected the idea of a coalition for personal reasons 16 The other former Presidents on the other hand agreed to a hasty compromise on 13 April to prevent a civil war 13 References edit Violence Cited in Suspending Dahomey Voting Temporarily Agence France Presse report in The Courier Journal Louisville KY 30 March 1970 Benin History The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Dahomey Initiates Rotating Presidency Philadelphia Inquirer 2 May 1970 p4 a b Benin Timeline BBC News Dieter Nohlen Michael Krennerich amp Bernhard Thibaut 1999 Elections in Africa A data handbook p93 ISBN 0 19 829645 2 a b Kneib 2007 p 21 a b Hudgens Trillo amp Calonnec 2003 p 893 a b Agence France Presse 27 March 1970 Slayings Reported and Regional Tension Rises as Dahomey Votes for President PDF The New York Times p 6 retrieved 2008 12 14 Decalo 1973 p 454 a b Ronen 1975 p 216 a b Decalo 1973 p 470 Decalo 1973 p 455 a b Dossou Yovo 1999 p 62 Decalo 1973 p 85 a b Decalo 1973 p 471 Ronen 1975 p 219 Bibliography editDecalo Samuel April 1973 Regionalism Politics and the Military in Dahomey The Journal of Developing Areas College of Business Tennessee State University 7 3 449 478 JSTOR 4190033 Dossou Yovo Noel September 1999 The Experience of Benin International Journal on World Peace 16 3 ISSN 0742 3640 OCLC 211426384 Hudgens Jim Trillo Richard Calonnec Nathalie 2003 The Rough Guide to West Africa London Rough Guides ISBN 1 84353 118 6 OCLC 176832097 Kneib Martha 2007 Benin Cultures of the World Tarrytown New York Marshall Cavendish ISBN 978 0 7614 2328 7 OCLC 62109915 Ronen Dov 1975 Dahomey Between Tradition and Modernity Ithaca New York Cornell University Press ISBN 0 8014 0927 6 OCLC 1527290 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1970 Dahomeyan presidential election amp oldid 1135638332, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
