Resignation of Joseph Djogbénou from the Constitutional Court: Necessity or opportunism

The day after his resignation from the head of the Constitutional Court, Joseph Djogbénou enlightened national and international public opinion on the reasons for his choice. This is thanks to a press conference organized, this Wednesday 13 July 2022, at Novotel hotel in Cotonou.

It was a very expeditious Joseph Djogbénou who faced the press. Despite his smile, the man of law does not have very expansive, the now ex-president of the Constitutional Court was very serene in the face of media professionals. After having greeted his peers who appointed him President of the Constitutional Court, the teacher has, Firstly, expresses his satisfaction at having completed his part of the mission at the head of the High Court of Benin. “In life it is not the positions that count. In life, it is the objectives that count,” declared Maître Joseph Djogbénou to justify his attitude towards those who think that he has left one of the most coveted positions, that of the Constitutional Court of Benin..

The time has come for him to move on.; Return to the political scene, as a turnkey “worker on the political site” in order to renew political commitment and above all to find his political family…and mine is the Union Progressive (the LNA party benefited from the support of the political parties of the presidential movement, in particular the Union ¨Progressiste). going further, the UP activist believes that "This decision is a necessity by the appeal both of my conscience but also of what results from the analysis of the political situation. I wanted to resume political engagement where I had left it.. As a good activist, he hopes that the Progressive Union accepts his return and says he is determined to accomplish the missions that the party will want to entrust to him.

On his supposed candidacy for the head of the Progressive Union party, the man puts on his teacher's costume. "The simplest functions are exercised by the simplest but most committed activists," said Joseph Djogbénou to kick the question about his destination.. However, he clarified that his intention is not to occupy a political office but to get back into the political debate and especially in "political construction"..

What about the obligation of reserve

"I am sufficiently informed not to reveal anything that is within the scope of the Constitutional Court but I am a citizen". And it is as a committed and strongly involved citizen that he will return to the service of the people in the shade of the green baobab in “committed intellectual”. Now he wants to ensure that compatriots better understand what is happening politically in Benin..

One thing is certain, Joseph Djogbénou is proud to have accomplished his mission well at the Constitutional Court. "When in a personal capacity what you can be useful for within the framework of an institution has already been sufficiently accomplished and it is still necessary to contribute elsewhere to strengthening the rule of law, we must draw the consequences” welcomes the former president of the Constitutional Court, institution he led from 2018 at 2022.

Arnaud ACAKPO (Coll)