2006年VOA标准英语-Candidates Prepare for Second Round of Ben

By Franz Wild
Abidjan
16 March 2006

In Benin, the two leading candidates in the first round of presidential elections are trying to gain support from those candidates who fared poorly in the first round. The run-off election between the two top finishers is expected in the next two weeks. Neither of the candidates won an outright¹ majority in the election earlier this month.

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The two first round leaders are seeking the support of the 24 candidates who finished behind them. None of the losers has announced their position yet.

 

Yayi Boni during rally in Cotonou, Benin,  March 2, 2006   
  

Political newcomer Yayi Boni won the first round with 36 percent of the vote. In second place, with 24 percent, is former speaker of parliament Adrien Houngbedji, who has unsuccessfully stood for president three times in the past.

Leading contender Boni is the former head of the West African Development Bank. Having stood as an independent candidate, this is his first attempt to become a political leader.

Cotonou-based political analyst² Gerard Guedegbe says Boni's appeal is that he entered the race without any political baggage.

"He has no political party, he is just a newcomer. It is the first time he is running for the presidency³ and he is ahead," he said. "This is clearly an expression of the voters' desire for change from all we have seen so far; I mean those politicians that have been ruling Benin since 1990 when we started the democratic process."

Another notable candidate is Lehagi Soglo, who came in fourth. He is considering a complaint to the high court, charging that irregularities marred⁴ the vote. Soglo is the son a popular former president who won election in 1991.

Political analyst Guedegbe says Soglo supporters have already explained what their objections are.

"Their complaint is first of all that the electoral commission did not make all the necessary materials available for the voters to cast their votes," he said. "Some voters came and returned to their house and were not able to come back to vote and this has caused them to lose votes. And also each party is supposed to send a representative to make a follow-up of the vote on behalf of the party. They say that there were also some problems in this."

One of the top officials of the Boni campaign, Albert Tevoedjre, acknowledges that there were minor⁵ irregularities. But he says Soglo's complaints, even if they are considered, will not get him into the second round.

"There were some irregularities, but the courts have considered this," he noted⁶. "Anyway, the decision stands now. I see no chance for his claim."

The winner of the second round will succeed outgoing President Mathieu Kerekou, who was barred from seeking re-election by a constitutional two-term limit. At 72, he is also too old to run, as is Soglo's father.

Kerekou has been at Benin's helm for most of the past three decades, opening it to multiparty democracy in 1990.

1 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

2 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

3 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

4 marred   

adj. 被损毁, 污损的

参考例句：

• The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。
• Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。

5 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。