Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Benin Politics : SURPRISING STATEMENT FROM JANVIER YAHOUEDEOU

Can Boni YAYI still counts on Janvier YAHOUEDEOU?

IN A SPEECH DELIVERED AT THE UNDP CONVENTION ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2009, IN BOHICON, JANVIER YAHOUEDEOU WHO IS A RULING FCBE'S LEADING MEMBER, AN ADVISOR AND A CLOSE ASSOCIATE TO BONI YAYI, WERE MUCH CRITICAL ABOUT THE HEAD OF STATE. IT WAS AN EVENT THAT COULD NOT GO UNNOTICED.


YAHOUEDEOU had to speak after the MP Issa SALIFOU who made different accusations against the Government. Among other accusations, Issa SALIFOU said: « I assure you today that at the National Assembly, when there is a bill to be passed by vote, they spend in terms of millions and billions to press people; it's huge…»

Then YAHOUEDEOU had the floor to speak. And here is what he said: « When listening to the MP Issa SALIFOU, for someone like I who had fought KEREKOU for ten years, my conscience can only be summoned. Today as a FCBE member, near the Head of State, I am shocked by what I have been hearing for awhile and particularly about what I have heard regarding car business. I promise you, especially in the presence of my political hero, President ZINSOU that I will do my own investigations. And if there were a single accusation made by the MP Saley which happened to be true, I promise, to the people of Benin, that I would fight Boni YAYI's regime to the end. I spent ten years of my life fighting Mathieu KEREKOU. I lost part of my fortune. I put my life at risk. I was under the threat to be imprisoned. I desired change, not a change in the looting of the national economy. If a single word is true, the opposition will register one of the most virulent of its members.

I would like to invent the Honorary Chairman and all members of the UNDP to record Voters' Register Computerization Project (in French Liste Electorale Permanente Informatisée: LEPI) as one of the main issues on this convention’s agenda. For awhile, we have been hearing about the feasibility of the LEPI for 2011presidential contest. No serious citizen may reject the LEPI? We all want the LEPI. However, we do not want a LEPI that will lead us to war. We need to think twice. We can proceed with implementing the LEPI. Nevertheless it does not mean that without the LEPI we will not hold the elections even if it is not totally transparent, although there are cases of theft. Why the fuss, the precipitation and the media campaign which intends to say: LEPI or nothing else. What does the Head of State, who is in office right now; fear? He came to power in a transparent manner. Why does he fear that by 2011 there will be problem if there is no LEPI? ……»

According to an article which was published in one of the local media on Tuesday, February 24, 2009, a meeting was convened by the party's leaders to listen to him. Janvier YAHOUEDEOU did not retract. He maintained his criticisms and assumed the entire responsibility for his statement. He brilliantly defended himself arguing that the experts' report on the LEPI may lead the country to chaos. And in that case, the Head of State will have to be held accountable. Even other influential members of the ruling FCBE agreed with him. Anyway, Janvier YAHOUEDEOU is someone that has to be under scrutiny.

Alfred Cossi CHODATON
alf2chod@yahoo.fr

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