1981 Central African presidential election

Presidential elections were held in the Central African Republic on 15 March 1981.[1] They were the first national elections of any sort since 1964, the first elections since the overthrow of longtime ruler Jean-Bédel Bokassa in 1979, and the first multiparty presidential elections since independence. Five candidates—incumbent president David Dacko, Ange-Félix Patassé, François Pehoua, Henri Maïdou and Abel Goumba—stood in the election.

The elections were won by Dacko, who had been restored to power two years earlier as part of Operation Barracuda, which overthrew Emperor Bokassa I (Jean-Bédel Bokassa). Dacko tried to pose as the inheritor of Barthélemy Boganda, the national hero who founded the country.

Results

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
David Dacko	Central African Democratic Union	374,027	51.10
Ange-Félix Patassé	Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People	283,739	38.77
François Pehoua	Independent Grouping for Reflection	39,661	5.42
Henri Maïdou	Republican Progressive Party	24,007	3.28
Abel Goumba	Oubanguian Patriotic Front	10,512	1.44
Invalid/blank votes		12,742	–
Total		744,688	100
Registered voters/turnout		971,395	76.66
Source: EISA

References

1. Nohlen, D, Krennerich, M & Thibaut, B (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p210 ISBN 0-19-829645-2