Union of Forces for Change
Encyclopedia
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 coup. On August 10th 2010, Jean-Pierre Fabre
is elected as President of the party.
The UFC was founded by Olympio as a federation of parties on February 1, 1992. Olympio was barred from standing in the August 1993 presidential election
on a technicality. The UFC boycotted the February 1994 parliamentary election
. Olympio was able to run in the June 1998 presidential election
, placing second with 34% of the vote, behind long-time President Gnassingbé Eyadéma
, according to official results; the UFC alleged fraud, however. The UFC boycotted the March 1999 parliamentary election
, and it also participated in an opposition boycott of the next parliamentary election
, held on 27 October 2002.
Emmanuel Bob-Akitani
, the First Vice-President of the UFC, was the main opposition candidate in the June 2003 presidential election
and the April 2005 presidential election
, acting as a surrogate candidate for Olympio, who was banned from running because he had lived in exile for several years. He
officially received 38.1% of the vote on the latter occasion, losing to Faure Gnassingbé
, son of the deceased Eyadéma, amidst opposition claims of a rigged vote.
The UFC decided not to join the national unity government under Prime Minister Yawovi Agboyibo
in September 2006, although many in the party were reportedly unhappy with Olympio's decision in this regard. The party's Second Vice-President, Amah Gnassingbé, accepted a post in the government as Minister of State and was suspended from the UFC as a result.
The party participated in the October 2007 parliamentary election
, the first time it participated in a parliamentary election since multiparty elections began to be held in the early 1990s. The party won 27 out of 81 seats, behind the ruling Rally of the Togolese People
(RPT), which won a majority. The UFC alleged irregularities in vote counting and, following the confirmation of the results by the Constitutional Court, UFC Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Fabré, described the results as "neither credible nor acceptable" and said that they did not represent the people's will.
At the UFC's Second Ordinary Congress, held in Nyékonakpoé
, Lomé
on July 18–19, 2008, Olympio was re-elected as National President of the UFC; he was also unanimously chosen as the party's candidate for the 2010 presidential election
. Also at this congress, Jean-Pierre Fabré was re-elected as Secretary-General; Patrick Lawson was elected as First Vice-President, while Bob-Akitani was named Honorary President.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in 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...
. The President of the UFC was Gilchrist Olympio
Gilchrist 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...
and its Secretary-General is Jean-Pierre Fabre
Jean-Pierre Fabre
Jean-Pierre Fabre is a Togolese politician. He has been the Secretary-General of the Union of the Forces of Change , Togo's main opposition party, since 1992, as well as the President of the UFC Parliamentary Group in the National Assembly from 2007 to August 10th 2010. Fabre was the UFC candidate...
until August 10th 2010. Olympio is the son of the first President of Togo, Sylvanus Olympio
Sylvanus Olympio
Sylvanus Epiphanio Olympio was a Togolese political figure who served as Prime Minister, and then President, of Togo from 1958 until his assassination in 1963.-Political career:...
, who was assassinated in a 1963 coup. On August 10th 2010, Jean-Pierre Fabre
Jean-Pierre Fabre
Jean-Pierre Fabre is a Togolese politician. He has been the Secretary-General of the Union of the Forces of Change , Togo's main opposition party, since 1992, as well as the President of the UFC Parliamentary Group in the National Assembly from 2007 to August 10th 2010. Fabre was the UFC candidate...
is elected as President of the party.
The UFC was founded by Olympio as a federation of parties on February 1, 1992. Olympio was barred from standing in the August 1993 presidential election
Togolese presidential election, 1993
Presidential elections were held in Togo on 25 August 1993. They were the first presidential elections in the country to feature more than one candidate. However, the major opposition parties boycotted the election, and only two minor candidates ran against incumbent President Gnassingbé Eyadéma,...
on a technicality. The UFC boycotted the February 1994 parliamentary election
Togolese parliamentary election, 1994
Parliamentary elections were held in Togo on 6 February 1994, with a second round on 18 March in 24 constituencies. The first multi-party elections since they 1960s, they saw the ruling Rally of the Togolese People finish second behind the Action Committee for Renewal , who together with their...
. Olympio was able to run in the June 1998 presidential election
Togolese presidential election, 1998
A presidential election was held in Togo on 21 June 1998. President Gnassingbé Eyadéma, in power since 1967, was re-elected with 52.1% of the total vote according to official results...
, placing second with 34% of the vote, behind 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...
, according to official results; the UFC alleged fraud, however. The UFC boycotted the March 1999 parliamentary election
Togolese parliamentary election, 1999
Parliamentary elections were held in Togo on 21 March 1999. They were boycotted by the eight opposition parties, who been rebuffed in their insistence that talks following the controversial presidential election the previous year must be completed prior to the parliamentary election...
, and it also participated in an opposition boycott of the next parliamentary election
Togolese parliamentary election, 2002
Parliamentary elections were held in Togo on 27 October 2002. Like the previous elections in 1999, they were boycotted by nine opposition parties , following the replacement of the Independent National Electoral Commission by a seven-magistrate committee and a revision of the Electoral Code...
, held on 27 October 2002.
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 First Vice-President of the UFC, was the main opposition candidate in the June 2003 presidential election
Togolese presidential election, 2003
Presidential elections were held in Togo on 1 June 2003. The result was a victory for incumbent President Gnassingbé Eyadéma, who won 57.8% of the vote.-Results:* Gnininvi withdrew his candidacy in May but remained on the ballot paper....
and the April 2005 presidential election
Togolese presidential election, 2005
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...
, acting as a surrogate candidate for Olympio, who was banned from running because he had lived in exile for several years. He
officially received 38.1% of the vote on the latter occasion, losing to 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...
, son of the deceased Eyadéma, amidst opposition claims of a rigged vote.
The UFC decided not to join the national unity government under Prime Minister Yawovi Agboyibo
Yawovi Agboyibo
Yawovi Madji Agboyibo is a Togolese politician. He served as Prime Minister of Togo from September 2006 to December 2007 and was National President of the Action Committee for Renewal , an opposition political party, from 1991 to 2008...
in September 2006, although many in the party were reportedly unhappy with Olympio's decision in this regard. The party's Second Vice-President, Amah Gnassingbé, accepted a post in the government as Minister of State and was suspended from the UFC as a result.
The party participated in the October 2007 parliamentary election
Togolese parliamentary election, 2007
A parliamentary election was held in Togo on October 14, 2007 for the 81 seats in the National Assembly. There were over 2,000 candidates, with 32 parties and 41 lists of independent candidates competing. The ruling Rally of the Togolese People was victorious, winning a majority of 50 seats...
, the first time it participated in a parliamentary election since multiparty elections began to be held in the early 1990s. The party won 27 out of 81 seats, behind the ruling Rally of the Togolese People
Rally of the Togolese People
The Rally of the Togolese People is the ruling political party in Togo. The President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbé, is also the National President of the RPT....
(RPT), which won a majority. The UFC alleged irregularities in vote counting and, following the confirmation of the results by the Constitutional Court, UFC Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Fabré, described the results as "neither credible nor acceptable" and said that they did not represent the people's will.
At the UFC's Second Ordinary Congress, held in Nyékonakpoé
Nyékonakpoé
Nyékonakpoé is a neighborhood of Lomé, Togo....
, 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...
on July 18–19, 2008, Olympio was re-elected as National President of the UFC; he was also unanimously chosen as the party's candidate for the 2010 presidential election
Togolese presidential election, 2010
A presidential election was held in Togo on 4 March 2010. Incumbent President Faure Gnassingbé—who won his first term in a presidential election that followed the death of his father, long-time President Gnassingbé Eyadema, in 2005—faced radical opposition candidate Jean-Pierre Fabre,...
. Also at this congress, Jean-Pierre Fabré was re-elected as Secretary-General; Patrick Lawson was elected as First Vice-President, while Bob-Akitani was named Honorary President.