Thomas Boni Yayi

Dr. Thomas Boni Yayi (born 1 July 1951) is a Beninese politician and banker. He served as the President of Benin from 6 April 2006 to 6 April 2016. He was re-elected to a second term in March 2011. From 29 January 2012 to 27 January 2013, he was the Chairperson of the African Union.

Thomas Boni Yayi
President of Benin
In office 6 April 2006 – 6 April 2016
Prime Minister	Pascal Koupaki Lionel Zinsou
Preceded by	Mathieu Kérékou
Succeeded by	Patrice Talon
Chairperson of the African Union
In office 29 January 2012 – 27 January 2013
Preceded by	Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
Succeeded by	Hailemariam Desalegn
Personal details
Born	(1951-07-01) 1 July 1951 (age 74) Tchaourou, Dahomey (now Benin)
Political party	Independent
Spouse(s)	Chantal Boni
Alma mater	National University of Benin Cheikh Anta Diop University University of Orléans Paris Dauphine University

On 15 March 2007, Boni Yayi survived an assassination attempt. Several of the people travelling with the president were wounded in gunfire between the presidential guard and the would-be assassins.^[1]

On 23 October 2012, the BBC said that his doctor, niece, and former commerce minister had been arrested in a plot to poison the president. The niece changed his medicine to a "toxic substance" while he was on a state visit to Brussels.^[2]

In September 2021, Patrice Talon and Thomas Boni Yayi, political allies who have become intimate enemies, met at the Marina Palace in Cotonou. During this tête-à-tête, Thomas Boni Yayi presented Patrice Talon with a series of proposals and requests, relating in particular to the release of “political detainees”.'^[3]