Despite agreement with Nigeria on deploying joint frontier patrols Abuja is maintaining its ban on cross-border trade until the end of January at least causing severe pain to the Benin economy; meanwhile the African Union-backed African Court on Human and People's Rights has imposed a CFA40 billion fine (US$68 million) on Benin over its mistreatment of the business tycoon and Talon opponent Sébastien Ajavon...
The Union Sociale Libérale (USL) party of exiled tycoon Sébastien Ajavon was one of many not invited; former president Thomas Boni Yayi's Forces Cauris Pour un Bénin Emergent (FCBE) was split over whether to join...
Another tycoon-politician the 'frozen chicken king' Sébastien Ajavon – a one-time Talon supporter turned rival who set up the Union sociale libérale party – was implausibly accused of involvement in drug trafficking...
The tone of the election was confirmed by the strong performance of another tycoon food importer Sébastien Ajavon 'the frozen chicken king' who in the first round notched up a strong third place only one percentage point behind Zinsou and Talon...
The choice of food importing tycoon Sébastien Germain Ajavon as candidate of Emmanuel Goulou's Parti social démocrate (PSD) has upset two other big names businessman Patrice Talon and Fernand Amoussou...