Sekondi Court shoots down Agyefi Kwame

THE DECISION by the anti- corruption crusader and Paramount Chief of the Nsein Traditional Area in the Western Region, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II, to pray a Sekondi High Court put an interlocutory injunction on the impending Western Regional House of Chiefs (WRHC) election, and as well restrained one of the members from contesting the Vice Presidency of the House, could not materialise.

The Court, presided over by Justice Robin Batu, dismissed the two applications on the grounds that they lacked merit. Awulae Agyefi Kwame has filed an application at the High Court, to put an interlocutory injunction on the impending Regional House of Chiefs election, to restrain the Electoral Commission (EC) from carrying out the election, scheduled to come off on the 11th of this month.

He was further seeking an order to restrain Osagyefo Kwamina Enimil, from contesting the Vice Presidency of the House, on the grounds that the latter was not qualified as a chief to contest that office.

His reason was that Enimil was currently entangled in a raging chieftaincy case between him (Enimil) and Krukoko, currently at a separate court, which the outcome had not been determined.

Therefore, Enimil was unqualified to hold himself as a chief, and contest for any office in the House.

The application brought by Agyefi Kwame, has the regional House of Chiefs as 1st respondent, the Electoral Commission as the 2nd respondent and Osagyefo Kwamina Enimil as the interested party.

Striking out the two applications, Justice Batu pointed out that it was not the duty of the court to determine who was qualified to be a chief or not, since the Chieftaincy Act made it the sole mandatory for the House of Chiefs to determine who a qualified chief was.

By that explanation, the application seeking for judicial review on the matter was struck out, in addition to the interlocutory injunction.

Earlier, the sitting judge read a letter brought by one of the parties, who requested him to decline sitting on the case.

Meanwhile, what was billed to be a keenly contested race to occupy the presidency of the House, following the inclusion of Nana Kobina Nketsia V, the Paramount Chief of Essikado Traditional Area, to contest the incumbent President of the House, Awuale Attibrukusu, for the presidency, has turned out to be a one-man show.

This was as a result of the failure of the Essikado Chief, who is noted for his eloquence, to file his nomination to contest the presidency by the close of nominations.

That means, the incumbent, Awulae Attibrukusu is contesting the presidency unchallenged, since as at the close of nominations, the latter was the only candidate to file his nomination for the presidency.

Though Nana Kobina Nketsiah, known in private life as Professor Baffoe Maison and a Lecturer at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), had picked his nomination form on Monday evening to contest the presidency, he rather filed his nomination to be elected to represent the House in deliberations at the National House of Chiefs.

The President of the House, Awulae Attibruku, had earlier told this reporter that he was aware Nana Kobina Nketsiah was contesting him for the presidency, and had picked his nomination form to that effect.

Awulae Attibrukusu's comments come after this reporter asked him whether he was aware the Essikado Paramount Chief was contesting him for the presidency.

The Paramount Chief of the Nsein Traditional Area and an anti-corruption crusader, Awuale Agyefi-Kwame, also failed to file for any office in the House.

Speaking in an interview with journalists, Mr. Stephen Opoku-Mensah, Regional Director of the EC, confirmed that by the close of nominations, only one person had filled his nomination to contest for the presidency.

Two prospective candidates had also filled for the vice presidency seat, with eight other candidates filing to be elected to represent the region in the National House of Chiefs.