Yendi: Assembly members in a brawl over election of PM [VIDEO]

What was supposed to be a meeting of the Yendi Municipal Assembly to elect a Presiding Member (PM) turned into a brawl over votes recounting.

The hall, where the meeting was taking place was turn into a battleground as tension flared among the Assembly members.

In the process, electoral materials were vandalised.

The Municipal Chief Executive for Yendi, Ahmed Yussuf Abubakar, some staff of the assembly and officials from the Electoral Commission (EC) who were there to organise the election of the PM left the meeting venue.

It took an intervention by the police to maintain sanity at the venue.

Tuesday's [July 23, 2024] meeting, was the fifth time members of the Assembly had met to elect a presiding member.

The members could not reach a consensus for a recount of the ballots when one of the candidates raised concerns over the electoral process and called for a recount.

What started as a mere argument then turned into a brawl, disrupting the entire electoral process. 

Both candidates, Yakubu Fuseini and Alhassan Inusah Achiri failed to obtain the required two thirds of the total votes cast of 44.

Fuseini polled 22 votes whereas Mr Achiri had 21 votes. There was one rejected ballot.

The Municipal Coordinating Director, Mohammed Akalifa, expressed worry over the assembly’s inability to elect a PM, saying the development was affecting the progress and smooth running of the assembly.

However, he indicated that, a new date would be set for the next election after consultation with all stakeholders.

Writer’s email:mohammed.fugu@graphic.com.gh 

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