BY: Vivian Dzoboku | Voltaonlinegh.com |
A meeting to elect a new Presiding Member for the Ho Municipal Assembly on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, ended in a fiasco.
This was due to the failure of any of the two contenders to secure the required two-thirds majority vote for the position.
The incumbent, Mr. Jonny Akpakli, whose 2-year tenure ended, is being contested by Mr. Mawunyo Agbe.
However, after two rounds of voting, both candidates failed to secure the required two-thirds majority vote of the 43-member assembly. The two respectively polled 20, 23 votes in the first round and 18, 25 votes in the second, hence fallen short of the atleast 30 votes requirement.
Consequently, Mr. Augustus Awity, Coordinating Director of the Assembly who presided over the election adjourned the meeting to the next 10 days where the nominees will have another chance at the polls. They will however have step down for new nominations should they fail to attain the two-thirds in that poll.
In a reaction, Togbe Koku Tsru II, of Ziavi Traditional Area, expressed disappointment with the turn of events but was hopeful that within the next 10 days, things will be different and the overall interest of the assembly will supersede that of every individual or group.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Divine Bosson, who spoke prior to the voting, urged the assembly members to conduct the electoral process in a spirit of togetherness and love as well as elect a unifier who has the interest of the municipality at heart.
The Local Government ACT 936 of 2016, stipulates a two year tenure for a presiding member, and also two-thirds majority of the entire membership for the election of same.
Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com