Nicolas Lawson
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Jean Messan Lawson (born 11 March 1953) is a Togo
lese politician and businessman.
Lawson was born in Aného
, Lacs Prefecture
. He studied hotel management in Ireland
and economics
in France
. After working as an executive for a number of French companies, he established a network of businesses in West Africa
, including food processing in Côte d'Ivoire
, pharmaceuticals manufacturing in Ghana
, and newspaper publishing in Togo.
As Togo transitioned from single-party
rule to a multiparty system, Lawson took part in the Sovereign National Conference of July and August 1991 as a member of the Association for Social Faith and Freedom, and he was a member of the High Council of the Republic, which acted as the transitional parliament following the National Conference. He was also Special Advisor on Political Affairs to Prime Minister Joseph Kokou Koffigoh
during the transitional period.
Lawson, running as an independent, was the first person to declare his candidacy for the June 2003 presidential election
. In order to stand in the election, he renounced his French citizenship. In the election, he won 0.20% of the vote, placing sixth. Lawson subsequently formed the Party for Renewal and Redemption
(PRR).
Due to the death of President Gnassingbé Eyadéma
on 5 February 2005, a presidential election
was held on 24 April 2005. Lawson ran as the PRR candidate, but withdrew on 23 April after the interior minister called for a postponement of the poll. According to official results, he won 1% of the vote.
On August 23, Lawson called on the people to vote in the October 2007 parliamentary election
, describing the election as a "decisive step forward" and saying that the country "must return to democratic principles, to survive and to develop". He was critical of independent candidates, who he said did not have political programs and would only increase confusion in a country that already had about 80 parties. Lawson was the first candidate on the PRR's candidate list in Lomé
in the 2007 election, but the party did not win any seats.
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
lese politician and businessman.
Lawson was born in Aného
Aneho
Aného is a town in southeastern Togo. It is situated 45 km east of the capital Lomé, between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Togo in Maritime Region. Historically it was known under the name Little Popo and it had a Portuguese slave market. It later became the first German capital of Togo in the...
, Lacs Prefecture
Lacs, Togo
Lacs is a prefecture located in the Maritime Region of Togo. The prefecture seat is located in Aného. It contains Togo's farthest east point....
. He studied hotel management in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. After working as an executive for a number of French companies, he established a network of businesses in West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
, including food processing in Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
, pharmaceuticals manufacturing in Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, and newspaper publishing in Togo.
As Togo transitioned from single-party
Single-party state
A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of party system government in which a single political party forms the government and no other parties are permitted to run candidates for election...
rule to a multiparty system, Lawson took part in the Sovereign National Conference of July and August 1991 as a member of the Association for Social Faith and Freedom, and he was a member of the High Council of the Republic, which acted as the transitional parliament following the National Conference. He was also Special Advisor on Political Affairs to Prime Minister Joseph Kokou Koffigoh
Joseph Kokou Koffigoh
Joseph Kokou Koffigoh is a Togolese politician who served as Prime Minister of Togo from 27 August 1991 to 25 April 1994. Elected as Prime Minister by the opposition-dominated National Conference in 1991, Koffigoh was given full executive powers and tasked with overseeing a transition to...
during the transitional period.
Lawson, running as an independent, was the first person to declare his candidacy for the June 2003 presidential election
Togolese presidential election, 2003
Presidential elections were held in Togo on 1 June 2003. The result was a victory for incumbent President Gnassingbé Eyadéma, who won 57.8% of the vote.-Results:* Gnininvi withdrew his candidacy in May but remained on the ballot paper....
. In order to stand in the election, he renounced his French citizenship. In the election, he won 0.20% of the vote, placing sixth. Lawson subsequently formed the Party for Renewal and Redemption
Party for Renewal and Redemption
The Party for Renewal and Redemption is a political party in Togo.At the last presidential of 24 April 2005, its candidate Nicolas Lawson won 1.04 % of the vote....
(PRR).
Due to the death of President Gnassingbé Eyadéma
Gnassingbé Eyadéma
General Gnassingbé Eyadéma , was the President of Togo from 1967 until his death in 2005. He participated in two successful military coups, in January 1963 and January 1967, and became President on April 14, 1967...
on 5 February 2005, a presidential election
Togolese presidential election, 2005
A presidential election was held in Togo on April 24, 2005, following the death in office of long-time president Gnassingbé Eyadéma. The main candidates were Eyadéma's son, Faure Gnassingbé, and opposition leader Emmanuel Bob-Akitani. The election and the period preceding it were marked by...
was held on 24 April 2005. Lawson ran as the PRR candidate, but withdrew on 23 April after the interior minister called for a postponement of the poll. According to official results, he won 1% of the vote.
On August 23, Lawson called on the people to vote in the October 2007 parliamentary election
Togolese parliamentary election, 2007
A parliamentary election was held in Togo on October 14, 2007 for the 81 seats in the National Assembly. There were over 2,000 candidates, with 32 parties and 41 lists of independent candidates competing. The ruling Rally of the Togolese People was victorious, winning a majority of 50 seats...
, describing the election as a "decisive step forward" and saying that the country "must return to democratic principles, to survive and to develop". He was critical of independent candidates, who he said did not have political programs and would only increase confusion in a country that already had about 80 parties. Lawson was the first candidate on the PRR's candidate list in Lomé
Lomé
Lomé, with an estimated population of 737,751, is the capital and largest city of Togo. Located on the Gulf of Guinea, Lomé is the country's administrative and industrial center and its chief port. The city exports coffee, cocoa, copra, and palm kernels...
in the 2007 election, but the party did not win any seats.