Togolese presidential election, 2005
Encyclopedia
A presidential election was held in Togo
on April 24, 2005, following the death in office of long-time president Gnassingbé Eyadéma
. The main candidates were Eyadéma's son, Faure Gnassingbé
, and opposition leader Emmanuel Bob-Akitani
. The election and the period preceding it were marked by violence, and many people were reported killed in various incidents. According to official results, Gnassingbé won the election, taking slightly more than 60% of the vote. Violence flared in the capital Lomé
after the results were announced, and thousands have fled into neighboring countries.
by many, who thought that the parliament speaker at the time of Eyadéma's death, Fambaré Ouattara Natchaba
, should have taken power according to the constitution. Under heavy pressure from others in the region, Gnassingbé stepped down on February 25 and was replaced by Bonfoh Abbass
, but he ran for president with the backing of the ruling party in an election on April 24.
, was barred from standing due to a provision that a presidential candidate must have lived in the country for 12 months prior to the election; Olympio had been in exile, and his party, the Union of Forces for Change
(UFC), nominated Emmanuel Bob-Akitani, the party's vice-president, as its candidate instead, representing a six-party opposition coalition. Bob-Akitani, who was chosen as the joint candidate of the six parties on March 14, previously and unsuccessfully ran against Gnassingbé's father in 2003. Olympio returned to the country from exile on March 19 and endorsed Bob-Akitani's candidacy. Harry Olympio
of the Rally for the Support of Democracy and Development
(RSDD) said in mid-March that he would be a candidate; he pointed to Bob-Akitani's advanced age in saying that Togo needed youthful leadership. Gnassingbé, at age 38, was even younger than Harry Olympio, however, and he also tried to use this to his advantage by stressing the need for youthful leadership.
Candidates had until March 26 to register, and campaigning took place from April 8 to April 22. The opposition demanded the postponement of the election, and it continued to do so after the electoral commission said on March 23 that the election would go ahead as scheduled. Demonstrations both for and against the April 24 date were held on March 26. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4384607.stm Voter registration began on March 28. Complaining of irregularities in the registration process, minor candidates Harry Olympio and Nicolas Lawson
also called for the election to be delayed by one month on March 29. Harry Olympio alleged that some opposition supporters were not being allowed to register; he also alleged that voter cards issued for deceased individuals were being distributed. Lawson alleged that people were being intimidated by the army, predicted "massive electoral fraud", and said that failure to postpone the election would result in a call for revolution.
On April 16, seven people—six from the ruling party and one from the opposition—were reportedly killed in clashes between supporters of the two sides. Each side accused the other of provoking the violence. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4454379.stm
A few days before the election, interior minister Francois Boko said it would be "suicidal" to hold the election as planned and called for it to be postponed. He also called for a transitional government to be set up that would last for one or two years with an opposition prime minister. This call was quickly rejected by interim president Bonfoh Abbass
, who also said that Boko would be replaced as interior minister. Bob-Akitani, who also wanted the elections postponed, called Boko's action "courageous". http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4471773.stm
Nicolas Lawson
of the Party for Renewal and Redemption
(PRR) had planned to contest the election but withdrew shortly after Boko's statement. Another candidate, Kofi Yamgnane
, withdrew from the race in favor of Bob-Akitani a month earlier, on March 23.
. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L298369.htm While Lomé was reported to be calmer than immediately after the election http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4494475.stm, armed men shot into the German cultural center before burning the building down on the evening of April 28.
Gnassingbé was sworn in as president on May 4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4512125.stm The Togolese League of Human Rights said later in May that 790 people had been killed and 4,345 had been hurt in the violence, covering the period from March 28 to May 5. This is considerably higher than previous estimates of a death toll of about 100. An official commission of inquiry into the violence has been ordered by the government, the results of which are planned to be made public within three months. About 24,000 people are said to have fled into neighboring Ghana
and Benin
. http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=47116&SelectRegion=West_Africa&SelectCountry=TOGO
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
on April 24, 2005, following the death in office of long-time president Gnassingbé Eyadéma
Gnassingbé Eyadéma
General Gnassingbé Eyadéma , was the President of Togo from 1967 until his death in 2005. He participated in two successful military coups, in January 1963 and January 1967, and became President on April 14, 1967...
. The main candidates were Eyadéma's son, Faure Gnassingbé
Faure Gnassingbé
Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé has been the President of Togo since May 4, 2005. A son of President Gnassingbé Eyadéma, he was appointed to the government by his father, serving as Minister of Equipment, Mines, Posts, and Telecommunications from 2003 to 2005...
, and opposition leader Emmanuel Bob-Akitani
Emmanuel Bob-Akitani
Emmanuel Bob-Akitani is a Togolese politician who was the main opposition candidate in the 2003 and 2005 Togolese presidential elections. He is the Honorary President of the Union of Forces for Change ....
. The election and the period preceding it were marked by violence, and many people were reported killed in various incidents. According to official results, Gnassingbé won the election, taking slightly more than 60% of the vote. Violence flared in the capital Lomé
Lomé
Lomé, with an estimated population of 737,751, is the capital and largest city of Togo. Located on the Gulf of Guinea, Lomé is the country's administrative and industrial center and its chief port. The city exports coffee, cocoa, copra, and palm kernels...
after the results were announced, and thousands have fled into neighboring countries.
Background
The death of Eyadéma on February 5, 2005, was followed by the naming of his son, Faure, as president. This move was taken first by the military, ostensibly to ensure stability, and subsequently legalized—at least ostensibly—by Gnassingbé's election as parliament speaker by the parliament, which is controlled by the ruling party, the Rally for the Togolese People (RPT). The parliament subsequently changed the constitution so that elections would not need to be held within 60 days, thus allowing the son to serve out the remainder of his father's term, which would have expired in 2008. These events were branded an unconstitutional coupCoup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
by many, who thought that the parliament speaker at the time of Eyadéma's death, Fambaré Ouattara Natchaba
Fambaré Ouattara Natchaba
Fambaré Ouattara Natchaba is a Togolese politician. He was the President of the National Assembly of Togo from 2000 to 2005. He is a prominent member of the ruling Rally of the Togolese People and is a member of the Pan-African Parliament representing Togo.-Political career:Natchaba was born in...
, should have taken power according to the constitution. Under heavy pressure from others in the region, Gnassingbé stepped down on February 25 and was replaced by Bonfoh Abbass
Bonfoh Abbass
El-Hadj Bonfoh Abass is a Togolese politician who was the interim President of Togo from February 25, 2005 to May 4, 2005. He has been the President of the National Assembly of Togo since 2005.-Political career:...
, but he ran for president with the backing of the ruling party in an election on April 24.
Campaign
Faure had been formally chosen as the party's candidate immediately prior to his resignation on February 25. The main opposition leader, Gilchrist OlympioGilchrist Olympio
Gilchrist Olympio is a Togolese politician and the President of the Union of Forces for Change , the country's main opposition party. Since the late 1970s, Mr...
, was barred from standing due to a provision that a presidential candidate must have lived in the country for 12 months prior to the election; Olympio had been in exile, and his party, the Union of Forces for Change
Union of Forces for Change
The Union of Forces for Change is the main opposition political party in Togo. The President of the UFC was Gilchrist Olympio and its Secretary-General is Jean-Pierre Fabre until August 10th 2010. Olympio is the son of the first President of Togo, Sylvanus Olympio, who was assassinated in a 1963...
(UFC), nominated Emmanuel Bob-Akitani, the party's vice-president, as its candidate instead, representing a six-party opposition coalition. Bob-Akitani, who was chosen as the joint candidate of the six parties on March 14, previously and unsuccessfully ran against Gnassingbé's father in 2003. Olympio returned to the country from exile on March 19 and endorsed Bob-Akitani's candidacy. Harry Olympio
Harry Olympio
Harry Octavianus Olympio is a Togolese politician and the National President of the Rally for the Support of Democracy and Development .-First period in government, 2000 attack dispute:...
of the Rally for the Support of Democracy and Development
Rally for the Support of Democracy and Development
The Rally for the Support of Democracy and Development is a political party in Togo. Its National President is Harry Olympio.In the parliamentary election held on 27 October 2002, the RSDD won 3 out of 81 seats. The party led the first protests against the succession of President Gnassingbé...
(RSDD) said in mid-March that he would be a candidate; he pointed to Bob-Akitani's advanced age in saying that Togo needed youthful leadership. Gnassingbé, at age 38, was even younger than Harry Olympio, however, and he also tried to use this to his advantage by stressing the need for youthful leadership.
Candidates had until March 26 to register, and campaigning took place from April 8 to April 22. The opposition demanded the postponement of the election, and it continued to do so after the electoral commission said on March 23 that the election would go ahead as scheduled. Demonstrations both for and against the April 24 date were held on March 26. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4384607.stm Voter registration began on March 28. Complaining of irregularities in the registration process, minor candidates Harry Olympio and Nicolas Lawson
Nicolas Lawson
Nicholas Jean Messan Lawson is a Togolese politician and businessman.Lawson was born in Aného, Lacs Prefecture. He studied hotel management in Ireland and economics in France...
also called for the election to be delayed by one month on March 29. Harry Olympio alleged that some opposition supporters were not being allowed to register; he also alleged that voter cards issued for deceased individuals were being distributed. Lawson alleged that people were being intimidated by the army, predicted "massive electoral fraud", and said that failure to postpone the election would result in a call for revolution.
On April 16, seven people—six from the ruling party and one from the opposition—were reportedly killed in clashes between supporters of the two sides. Each side accused the other of provoking the violence. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4454379.stm
A few days before the election, interior minister Francois Boko said it would be "suicidal" to hold the election as planned and called for it to be postponed. He also called for a transitional government to be set up that would last for one or two years with an opposition prime minister. This call was quickly rejected by interim president Bonfoh Abbass
Bonfoh Abbass
El-Hadj Bonfoh Abass is a Togolese politician who was the interim President of Togo from February 25, 2005 to May 4, 2005. He has been the President of the National Assembly of Togo since 2005.-Political career:...
, who also said that Boko would be replaced as interior minister. Bob-Akitani, who also wanted the elections postponed, called Boko's action "courageous". http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4471773.stm
Nicolas Lawson
Nicolas Lawson
Nicholas Jean Messan Lawson is a Togolese politician and businessman.Lawson was born in Aného, Lacs Prefecture. He studied hotel management in Ireland and economics in France...
of the Party for Renewal and Redemption
Party for Renewal and Redemption
The Party for Renewal and Redemption is a political party in Togo.At the last presidential of 24 April 2005, its candidate Nicolas Lawson won 1.04 % of the vote....
(PRR) had planned to contest the election but withdrew shortly after Boko's statement. Another candidate, Kofi Yamgnane
Kofi Yamgnane
Kofi Yamgnane is a French-Togolese politician, born on October 11, 1945 in Bassar, Togo. Former engineer in the French Bridges and Roads administration, he was Secretary of State in the French gouvernment in 1991-1993 and representative of Finistère in the French Parlement in 1997-2002...
, withdrew from the race in favor of Bob-Akitani a month earlier, on March 23.
Ballot
As the voting ended on April 24, three people were reported to have been killed. Each side has accused the other of disruption and stuffing ballot boxes. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1511&ncid=1511&e=3&u=/afp/20050424/wl_afp/togovote_050424235343 On April 25, Gnassingbé and Gilchrist Olympio reportedly reached a deal providing for the establishment of a government of national unity, regardless of who won the election, http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=JI4LKK0TSSADQCRBAEKSFEY?type=worldNews&storyID=8287459 but this was later denied by the opposition. On April 26, provisional results were announced: Gnassingbé won with 60.22% of the vote, with Bob-Akitani coming in second with 38.19%. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1511&ncid=1511&e=6&u=/afp/20050426/wl_afp/togovote_050426121759 Harry Olympio received only 0.55% of the vote, while Lawson took 1.04% despite having withdrawn from the race. 63.6% of registered voters participated in the election. The constitutional court confirmed Gnassingbé's win on 3 May, when official results were released.Election aftermath
On April 27, 11 people were reported dead and 95 injured in clashes as supporters of the opposition battled the police in Lomé. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1511&ncid=1511&e=6&u=/afp/20050427/wl_afp/togovote_050427140647 Bob-Akitani subsequently declared himself president, claiming to have actually taken 70% of the vote. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4488849.stm By April 29 approximately 100 people were reported to have been killed, many in the town of Aneho, near the border with BeninBenin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L298369.htm While Lomé was reported to be calmer than immediately after the election http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4494475.stm, armed men shot into the German cultural center before burning the building down on the evening of April 28.
Gnassingbé was sworn in as president on May 4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4512125.stm The Togolese League of Human Rights said later in May that 790 people had been killed and 4,345 had been hurt in the violence, covering the period from March 28 to May 5. This is considerably higher than previous estimates of a death toll of about 100. An official commission of inquiry into the violence has been ordered by the government, the results of which are planned to be made public within three months. About 24,000 people are said to have fled into neighboring Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
and Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
. http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=47116&SelectRegion=West_Africa&SelectCountry=TOGO