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The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Sekyere Kumawu in the Ashanti Region, Samuel Addai Agyekum, was finally confirmed on Friday, after failing to secure a two-third majority vote on two occasions.
The Church of Pentecost at Bomeng, near Effiduase hosted 28 elected Assemblymen and government appointees, who voted “Yes” in the polls supervised by the Electoral Commission of Ghana.
Despite the election being largely calm, heavy security was surveiling the meeting pointing to a planned attack. Some supporters of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and residents of Kumawu who had attended the meeting were already celebrating victory for the President Akufo-Addo’s nominee.
MP, Assemblymen, journalists denied entry
At least 36 Assembly members were expected to vote to confirm the DCE. But the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumawu Philip Basoa, who is an ex-officio and at least eight Assemblymen were among individuals who were denied entry to the voting auditorium for failing to produce an accreditation.
“Can you imagine…?” one of the Assemblymen angrily quizzed. “Look at the intimidation here. What they are saying is that if anything they will shoot me. Are we practicing democracy or autocracy?”
Mr Basoa who could not withstand the heat had no option than to vacate the premises. Journalists present to cover the event suffered same fate.
Earlier threats
The re-nomination of Samuel Addai Agyekum was met with fierce opposition by some residents and members of the governing party.
Earlier this week, a group of disgruntled youth were seen in a viral video invoking curses as they called out individuals including the Ashanti Regional Minister and a Council of State Member, accusing them of scheming to impose the nominee on us”
They were seen cracking eggs and slaughtering sheep accusing the nominee of stifling development in the area and campaigning against the incumbent MP in the heat of the 2020 polls.
DCE-elect calls for unity
Journalists were later allowed into the auditorium shortly after the event. Speaking with them, Samuel Addai Agyekum, whose administration appears to be shaky, called for unity among assemblymen to bring development to the people of Sekyere Kumawu.
“I am a symbol of unity and that has been my passion… And since 2017, I have been with Nananom and party people and we are prosecuting the agenda of Nana Akufo-Addo”, he said.
SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH
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