By Joseph Agrace Wiyorbie, GNA
Lambussie, (UW/R), May 22, GNA – The Lambussie District Assembly has failed to elect a Presiding Member (PM) for the second time after five rounds of voting, leaving the Assembly without a head to steer its affairs for the next two years.
The PM candidates, Mr Abubakari Abdul Moomin, the incumbent, and Assemblyman for Happa Electoral Area and Mr Zimi Kanintii Paul, Assemblyman for Suke Electoral Area, both failed to secure the required number of votes to be elected.
Mr Maxwell Fudzi Vanscofly of the Lambussie District office of the Electoral Commission (EC) supervised the election.
He indicated that, per the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), the two candidates have stepped aside for fresh nominations because they both failed to secure two-thirds of the votes after the third round of voting.
“The constitution stipulated that after three rounds of voting successively, if no candidate secures two-thirds of the total votes cast, the contesting candidates would step aside for fresh candidates to be put forward”, he explained.
Mr Vanscofly, therefore, said both Mr Moomin and Mr Paul were not eligible to contest in the fresh nominations unless no other member expressed interest.
Following the opening of fresh nominations, Dr. Jane France Lobnibe, a government appointee, and Mr Aaliebe Matthew, Assemblyman for Chebogo Electoral Area, filed to contest.
In the first round of the fresh election, Dr. Lobnibe and Mr Matthew polled 18 and 16 votes, respectively, while in the second round, Mr Matthew had 18 votes, while Dr. Lobnibe polled 16 votes, which still fell short of the required two-thirds votes to be elected.
Mr Naawulle Ireneous Basingbie, the Lambussie District Chief Executive (DCE), in an interview with Ghana News Agency (GNA) after the election, expressed disappointment over the election outcome and said the lack of a PM was holding back development and progress in the district.
He expressed worry that despite appeals by him and Professor Titus Kofi Beyuo, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, the Assembly Members still failed to elect a PM.
He, therefore, reiterated appeals to the Assembly Members to put their personal and political interest aside. Consider the interest of the district and the communities they serve and elect a PM.
Dr. Jane France Lobnibe, the government appointee, speaking to GNA in an interview after the election, also expressed concern, describing the situation as a waste of time and resources in an underdeveloped district like Lambussie.
Some residents, who witnessed the election, expressed disappointment in the Assembly Members and said they were pursuing political interests instead of the welfare of the people who elected them.
The Assembly is expected to reconvene within the next ten days to conduct another election as stipulated under Act 936, and if they failed to elect a PM, the Assembly would operate without a PM for the next two years.
GNA
Kenneth Odeng Adade