(Xinhua) — Head of the African Union (AU) election observer mission to Benin Prof. Dioncounda Traore has said the country’s April 26 parliamentary elections were transparent despite organizational challenges.
Traore who was speaking on Tuesday in Cotonou, said some of the challenges included late arrival of electoral materials and officials in some polling stations, but this did not affect the reliability of the poll.
“The African Union mission wish to congratulate the Beninese people for their democratic tradition and the maturity they exhibited during the April 26 elections,” Traore said.
He affirmed that the conclusion of legislative elections symbolized progress in the consolidation of Benin’s democratic practice.
The AU mission was comprised of 32 observers who were deployed in 175 polling stations distributed across Benin’s 12 administrative departments.
