Benin: the Restaurer l’Espoir party denies Candide Azannai’s release

The rumor circulated early in the afternoon on social media. A message attributed to activist Aimé Agbokoun announced an alleged release of Candide Azannaï, president of the Parti Restaurer l’Esppoir. The information was quickly dismissed as false by the party and the Coordination nationale de la Résistance nationale.

In their joint statement, the two organizations issued a formal denial of that post. They stated that no release of Candide Azannaï occurred on 17 December 2025 and warned against the spread of false information that could disrupt public order.

Beyond the denial, the Parti Restaurer l’Espoir and the Résistance nationale once again called on the public to remain calm and vigilant. They urged activists and supporters not to give in to provocations and to stick exclusively to official information released through authorized channels.

As a reminder, Candide Azannaï, a former Minister of Defense and president of the Parti Restaurer l’Espoir, was arrested late on the morning of Friday 12 December 2025. According to reports, he was taken into custody in front of his party’s national headquarters in Cotonou.