Toasehene represents Ashanti on Council of State

THE ASHANTI Regional Electoral College, made up of Representative from the various districts in the region has elected Nana Asiamah Afrifah Poku II, the Chief of Toase in the Atwima Nwabiagya district, as the regional representative to the Council of State.

In an election held at the Regional Coordinating Council Conference Hall and supervised by the Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, Mr. Kofi Asomaning and his officials, Nana Asiamah II secured 29 votes out of 50 total votes cast while his main contender, Mr. Akenten Appiah Menkah, who is also a founding member of the opposition New Patriotic Party obtained 20 votes.

The other three contestants, Mr. George Antwi and Kwame Gyaukyem secured one and zero votes respectively, while Rev.Alexander Tuffour Sarkodie, a Baptist Priest, pulled out minutes before the commencement of the voting process.

Tension and anxiety surrounded the elections yesterday, as a result of the initial threats issued by the Ashanti Regional hierarchy of the ruling National Democratic Congress to demonstrate against the candidature of Mr. Appiah Menkah, whom they claimed had no business with the NDC administration and as such did not deserve to be elected to serve on the Council of State.

There were initial skirmishes after representatives from the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and the Offinso South district were prevented from voting for unexplained reasons at the time of filing this report, but it was alleged that delegates from the two assemblies were disallowed from voting as a ploy to favor a particular candidate.

In his victory speech after the official declaration of the result, Nana Asiamah pledged to work hard in order to justify the confidence reposed in him by the Electoral College.

He also promised to adequately send across the views and concerns of the people in the region during deliberations at the Council.