Politics of Sunday, 3 October 2021
Source: Chukwu Joseph, Contributor
2021-10-03
Richard Owusu had a 71% ‘NO’ votes
Assembly Members in the Akrofuom District of the Ashanti region on Friday 1st October 2021, failed to confirm Richard Owusu who is President Akufo-Addo’s new nominee for District Chief Executive.
This was after 17 Assembly Members made up of 6 government appointees and 11 elected Members, voted YES/NO.
Out of the 17 Assembly members, 12 of them voted ‘NO’ to reject the nominee, representing 71% whiles 5 voted ‘YES’ to confirm the nominee, also representing 29%.
The election which was conducted and supervised by Madam Cynthia Adwubi Sarfo had no spoilt ballot papers in the Akrofuom District Electoral Office.
According to the Electoral Officer, Richard Owusu needed a two-thirds majority of valid votes cast being 12 plus to be confirmed by the Assembly members as newly elected DCE.
Madam Sarfo said since the nominee could not obtain 50% plus, Assembly members would reconvene within 10 working days for another election.
The rejected nominee, who was the Constituency Thresher for the ruling Party refused to speak to the media after the election.
Some Assembly members told the Obuasi Tv that they declined to vote for the President’s nominee because due processes were not followed before the announcement of the DCE nominee.
“We are not happy with how our Member of Parliament Alex Blankson treated the outgoing DCE Jonas Maurice Woode whose removal is yet to be communicated officially to him. Until the right things are done, we will also marshal resources to vote against the new one.”
“The outgoing DCE has done his best for the district and the party and should be recognized and accorded the needed respect. He has so far done well and we will not allow his reputation to be tarnished by the MP,” they stated.