Soyinka, Sekoni, other African academics demand fresh poll in Benin

A group of African American scholars has written to President Patrice Talon of Benin, demanding a rerun of the country’s controversial parliamentary elections.  The academics, numbering 50, said Mr Talon suppressed opposition’s participation in the election by colluding with the electoral commission to disqualify his most potent challengers, leaving only two political parties that support his ambition.

Henry Gates Jr., Wole Soyinka, Jacob Olupona, Ropo Sekoni, Catherine Coquery and Francis Affergan were amongst the 50 African scholars of worldwide repute who penned the strongly-worded letter to Mr Talon last week.