Legitimacy of processes leading to MCE confirmation quizzed

Ten Assembly members in the La – Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal Assembly (LaNMMA) have questioned the legitimacy of the processes leading to the confirmation of Jennifer Dede Afagbedzi as the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Assembly.

They called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to either re-nominate her or withdraw her nomination.

At a press conference in Accra on Monday, Ibrahim Abdul-Razak, the Assembly member for Madina West Electoral Area, raised a number of concerns including allegations against the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey who they claimed invited National Security personnel to create chaos during and after the casting of ballots.

He said he and his colleagues John Okpoti Mensah, the Assembly member for Oyarifa Electoral Area, Ibrahim Abdul-Razak, Madina West Electoral Area, Abdul-Jalil Yakubu, Tatana South Electoral Area, Michael Asare McDonald,   Social Welfare South Electoral Area and Peter Geh, Kweiman-Ayimensah Electoral Area said they did not vote for Madam Afagbedzi.

 The other Assembly members were Abraham Nii Odai, Nkwantanang West Electoral Area, Atsu Hayibor, North Legon Electoral Area, Halid Wahab, Adenta West Electoral Area, Alex Obedeka, Pantang Electoral Area and Charles Tsuishitoo, Danfa Electoral Area.

Mr Abdul-Razak noted that the MCE failed to obtain 50 per cent of the total votes cast and not qualified to hold office and alleged that they were beaten up by the National Security personnel who were brought to the voting centre to disrupt voting processes.

“We voted NO and that would have meant Madam Afagbedzi could not get two-thirds of valid votes cast and according to the Model Standing Orders for Metropolitan,Municipal and District Assemblies, any nominee who at any time fails to poll 50 percent of the votes of members present and voting maybe re-nominated on reasonable grounds or maybe withdrawn by the president.

“As part of the grand scheme to subvert the will of the assembly members, the Presiding Member of LaNMMABraimah Ismaila Blay was seen stuffing the ballot box with thumb printed ballot papers so we protested to a policeman to stop the alleged criminality but he could not do anything.

“While voting was ongoing, the lights in the hall where the assembly members were seated went off and a barricade was created around the ballot box by the National Security personnel who blocked our view,” Mr Abdul-Razak decried.

BY MALIK SULLEMANA