Bida Nouhoum, the spokesman for Benin’s ruling party, Forces Cauris pour un Benin Émergent (the Cowry Forces for an Emerging Benin, or FCBE), announced on Thursday (November 26) that Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou has been nominated as the party’s candidate in the presidential election on 28 February 2016. Current president Thomas Boni Yayi appointed Zinsou, who also holds French citizenship, in June.
A French-born former financier in his sixties, Zinsou is a nephew of former president Emile Derlin Zinsou and a key figure in relations between France and Africa. He left a lucrative job as head of European investment firm PAI Partners following his appointment in June as PM.
Last year he spearheaded discussions in Paris to secure some 18 billion euros ($20 billion) in international financing from both the public and private sectors for economic development in Benin.
“Mr Zinsou for us is the choice of reason because it maintains national unity,” the ruling party spokesman said.
Since Zinsou’s appointment as Prime Minister barely 10 months prior to the end of Yayi’s second and final term in office, speculation had been rife that he was the likely successor. However, Zinsou’s nomination has been a divisive issue within the FCBE, with party parliamentarian Nassirou Arifari openly critical of the efforts of Yayi – himself a former banker – to position Zinsou as the party’s presidential candidate.
