Dormaa Assembly fails to elect PM

Dormaa - Ahenkro (B/A), Oct. 7, GNA - The Dormaa Central Municipal Assembly Tuesday failed to elect its Presiding Member after two successful rounds of voting during the inauguration of new Assemblymembers.

The House has subsequently fixed October 16 to reconvene to elect a Presiding Member.

None of the four nominees managed to secure the two-thirds majority required by the House in an election, which travelled to two rounds, contested by Mr. Kofi Beneabesi, the immediate past Presiding Member, Barimah Yeboah Kordie, the Aduanahene of Dormaa Traditional Area, Mr Edwin Akrasi Tannor, a business consultant, and Mr Kwadwo Opuni Frimpong, a teacher.

The contest was closely fought between Barimah Yeboah Kordie and Mr. Kofi Beneabesi who both obtained the largest votes with the former beating the latter with just a single and two votes difference in the first and second round respectively.

Taking his turn to briefly address the House on his plans when elected as the PM, Mr. Kwadwo Opuni Frimpong, had boldly, but diplomatically and tactfully remarked that Barima Yeboah Kordie was scoring below the belt as a traditional ruler, in his decision to become a PM, considering his enviable status.

His statement was booed at by Assembly members, and explained that considering his position the Chief was likely to suffer unwarranted criticisms, accusations, and unnecessary victimizations, which were likely to dent his hard won reputation in the political arena.

'When the Public Accounts Committee summons heads of state institutions to account for their stewardship, in the assembly, normally it's the MCE and the Presiding Member who go and face the panel members. We don't want a situation where he would be subjected to criticism for some wrongdoing and thus sour his image because he is our chief,' he remarked.

Initially, it was thought that this statement made by Mr. Opuni Frimpong against the Chief would seriously affect the Chief's chances of making desired impact in the election but this did not, as he emerged, the candidate with the highest vote in both rounds of voting although he had failed to clinch the ultimate victory.

After first round of voting, the two leading contenders lobbied intensely to attract supporters from both fringes but this failed to make any meaningful impact in the second round for the ultimate choice of a winner.

Mr. Christian Boafo Offeh, the Municipal Electoral Officer, who supervised the elections, said the law permitted any of the candidates to withdraw his candidature or any other person to file for nomination to contest for the position in the next election.

He said the Assembly would meet again after 10 days (on October 16th) to elect its PM as the law stipulates.

GNA