Before soldiers seized Cotonou’s state television station to announce that Patrice Talon had been deposed, Benin’s democracy had already been gutted from within. Talon entered office in 2016 with promises of reform, fresh hope, and a break from the stagnation of Benin’s previous leadership. His pledges resonated deeply with the poor and disillusioned electorate. A self-made multibillionaire, often referred to as the “king of cotton,” Talon was initially seen as someone too rich to steal, too shrewd for vanity. People believed he would transform the country with technocratic efficiency, as he ran his businesses.

But, as with many men who rise to power on the promise of change, Talon soon revealed his true colors. The moment he tasted power, he reshaped Benin’s democracy into a personal political enterprise. Rather than leading Benin toward prosperity, Talon prioritized consolidating political control. He began dismantling the political playing field, introducing onerous party registration requirements that effectively crushed opposition and made it near-impossible for diverse political voices to compete.

Talon’s initial reforms, such as the 2019 parliamentary elections, were designed to ensure his political dominance. The result? A political landscape where only his loyalists controlled the critical institutions of state — from parliament to the judiciary. The Constitutional Court, under his influence, effectively became a tool for legalizing his agenda. International watchdogs downgraded Benin’s democratic standing, and protests were quashed with brutal force.

By the time the 2021 elections rolled around, Talon’s opponents were either imprisoned or disqualified, with one facing charges of terrorism and another of money laundering. Talon’s “victory” in these elections, securing nearly 90% of the vote, was a sham — inflated figures masked a dismal turnout. In truth, the country was now politically homogenized: opposition was crushed, and only Talon’s loyalists held sway.

Democracy Under Siege: The Nigerian Parallel

Much like Talon, Bola Tinubu entered office under the guise of transformative leadership. Tinubu’s supporters heralded him as the “kingmaker,” someone who would wield a magic wand to fix Nigeria’s economic and political woes. However, within months of his presidency, concerns started to mount. Although Tinubu implemented economic reforms to maximize revenue generation, his most notable achievement seemed to be the destabilization of opposition parties. With governors and senators defecting en masse to his ruling party, Tinubu began to consolidate power. Critics argue that, like Talon, Tinubu is prioritizing political capture over the well-being of the country.

Much like Talon, who eliminated any political competition through reforms and legislative manipulation, Tinubu seems to be crafting a similar playbook. Opposition leaders have been increasingly targeted by Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the EFCC. The 2027 elections, observers fear, may mirror the “peaceful” yet deeply compromised elections in Benin, where the outcome is already determined by an opposition-less system.

From Democracy to Autocracy: Talon’s Playbook

When Talon came into office, Benin’s democracy was seen as a beacon in West Africa. It was ranked 82/100 by Freedom House in 2017, a robust score that praised its competitive elections and civil liberties. But by 2023, that score had plunged to 59, with the country now labeled a “hybrid regime”, a thin veneer of democracy barely hiding the authoritarian state underneath. Talon’s reforms, it turns out, were not designed to strengthen democracy but to make him indispensable.

Talon’s push for term extension from five to seven years, his manipulation of presidential succession (positioning his finance minister as a puppet candidate), and the creation of a Senate chamber for former presidents and appointed officials all point to one thing: self-perpetuation. With these moves, Talon is engineering a lifetime presidency, using constitutional changes and backroom deals to prolong his hold on power.

The Military Coup Attempt: A Warning to Tinubu

Talon’s downfall was, however, momentarily halted when military officers attempted a coup in 2023. The plotters cited Talon’s negligence in tackling northern insecurity as the main reason for their action, accusing him of prioritizing self-interest over the nation’s safety. They argued that Talon’s obsession with political survival and power consolidation had left the country vulnerable. The coup was thwarted with the help of Tinubu, who sent Nigerian military jets and troops to Cotonou to assist in suppressing the uprising. But the plotters’ message had been sent: Talon had become a despot, more concerned with self-preservation than the country’s welfare.

Tinubu’s swift intervention to save Talon and preserve the status quo speaks volumes. To some, his actions were aimed at maintaining regional stability and pleasing France (Benin’s former colonial power). But beneath that veneer of democracy-saving, it is evident that the two men — Talon and Tinubu — share a common goal: self-preservation at the expense of the principles of democracy.

Nigeria: A Cautionary Tale

Talon’s narrative is not unique. Nigeria, under Tinubu, is experiencing a similar erosion of democratic values. Once home to a thriving multiparty system, Nigeria’s political landscape is rapidly becoming a one-party state. The APC has absorbed governors, senators, and opposition figures alike, using both carrot and stick to secure loyalty. Tinubu, much like Talon, is consolidating power and neutralizing opposition.

The tragedy, however, is that democracy in both countries has been hollowed out. With politicians using the machinery of the state to capture power, the very essence of democracy — political competition, freedom of speech, and accountability — is under siege. While the military coup in Benin failed, it was a stark reminder of what can happen when democratically elected leaders prioritize self-interest over the public good.

Conclusion: The Slow Poison of Power

Tinubu and Talon may wear the mantle of democratic leaders, but their actions suggest a different agenda. They are, in effect, tailors of democracy, manipulating the political landscape to ensure that only their will prevails. Their refusal to allow genuine political competition, their attacks on the judiciary, and their repression of dissent signal a dangerous trend in West African governance.

The African continent has witnessed various forms of military coups, but the real danger now comes from the civilian autocrats in bespoke suits. These leaders do not need to take up arms — they use laws, policies, and elections as tools to dismantle democracy from the inside. In the case of Talon and Tinubu, the writing is on the wall: true democracy is being sacrificed on the altar of political ambition and self-preservation.

Talon and Tinubu’s actions have shown that democracy in West Africa is increasingly endangered. Democratic values are being traded for personal power, and unless these leaders change their ways, they may ultimately find themselves embroiled in their own undoing. Democracy is not a mere title — it is the foundation upon which a nation’s freedom and prosperity rest. And when that foundation is cracked, as it has been in Benin and is now in Nigeria, the collapse can be swift and irreversible.