Members of the Yendi Municipal Assembly in the Northern Region were involved in a brawl yesterday after failing for the fifth time to elect their Presiding Member (PM).
The chaos at a meeting attended by the 44 members erupted following the first round of voting when none of the candidates secured the required two-thirds majority needed to assume the role of PM.
The Assembly Member for Kusheigu Electoral Area, Yakubu Fusheini, garnered 22 votes, while Alhassan Inusah Achiri, representing Balogu Electoral Area, received 21 votes, with one vote being rejected.
Expressing concern over the situation, the Yendi Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Alhaji Ahmed Yussif Abubakari Cums, lamented that the inability to elect a PM in the past seven months was hindering the assembly’s progress.
He attributed this gridlock to political divisions among the members.
Alhaji Cums urged the assembly members to set aside their political differences for the sake of development, emphasising the financial cost of the repeated sittings and the impact on community progress.
Highlighting the consequences of their inaction, he pointed out that without a functioning PM, crucial developmental projects could not move forward.
He underscored the importance of unity, reminding them of their shared commitment to the advancement of Yendi and its communities.
Residents who witnessed the chaotic scene expressed disappointment, fearing that the assembly’s inability to elect a PM would delay crucial development initiatives across the municipality.
A resident, Alhaji Barahama Hamdu, said such discord among assembly members was unprecedented since the establishment of the Yendi Municipal Assembly in the early 1970s.
He criticised the assembly members, suggesting that personal interests were overshadowing the community’s welfare.
In response, some assembly members acknowledged the regrettable nature of the incident, and its unfortunate consequences.
FROM YAHAYA NUHU NADAA, YENDI
