Benin’s Interior Ministry rocked by corruption scandal over recognition of political party ‘Le Libéral’
Two senior officials from Benin’s Ministry of the Interior and Public Security (MISP) are at the center of a major corruption scandal linked to the administrative registration of the political party Le Libéral (LLB).
Minister of the Interior and Public Security Allassane Seidou
On May 14, 2025, the Minister of the Interior publicly confirmed the alleged involvement of two civil servants in a corruption case described as “extremely serious.” The scandal erupted as party leaders had just completed the final steps to secure a provisional registration certificate.
According to a statement obtained by BeNews, the registration process for Le Libéral began in August 2024 and was marked by repeated back-and-forths between party representatives and ministry departments. After several technical and administrative rejections, a provisional receipt was finally issued on April 28, 2025, following the party’s founding assembly in Abomey-Calavi.
The scandal surfaced during the final phase of submitting the documentation to the Journal Officiel for formal recognition. Allegations point to two officials—one from the Directorate of Political Parties and Electoral Affairs (DPPAE) and another from the Directorate of Internal Affairs and Religious Affairs (DAIC).
“Confirmed acts of corruption”
The Interior Minister revealed that the DAIC official allegedly approached Le Libéral‘s party leader with an offer to “facilitate” the approval process in exchange for payment. After accepting the offer, the official reportedly recruited a colleague from the DPPAE to assist in speeding up the file’s processing, promising him a share of the bribe.
Both officials are said to have received substantial sums of money in return for manipulating the administrative procedure.
The minister, citing “reliable sources,” announced a series of firm actions: