Ivorian Head of State, Alassane Ouattara began a meeting on Monday with Togo President Faure Gnassingbé, Benin counterparts Patrice Talon and former Benin President, Thomas Boni Yayi in Abidjan.
Ouattara begins move to reconcile Benin's Boni Yayi and Patrice Talon
According to diplomatic sources, the meeting is intended to reconcile the new Benin President Patrice Talon and his predecessor Thomas Yayi Boni.
#prci:"Je voudrais dire à SEM Yayi BONI que le Bénin est entre de bonnes mains avec le Président Patrice TALON." pic.twitter.com/8EBnABQesZ— Presidenceci (@Presidenceci) April 18, 2016
“I am reassuring everyone that I will be a good president and also that I will do my best to uplift Benin and make it convenient to the whole sub-region. I am looking forward to restructure my country in uniformity with other states in this region. I will ensure that there is peace in Benin,” said Patrice Talon.
The two leaders were best friends in the previous years with Patrice Talon having financed Boni Yayi in 2006 and 2011 in the presidential elections.
According to sources, the relationship between the two leaders further deteriorated in October 2012 after an attempted poisoning of Boni Yayi as the head of state in which Patrice Talon was indicted as the mastermind.
AFP