The Wa Municipal Assembly in its bid to elect a Presiding Member after the inauguration of a forty-six(46) member assembly has been shot down after several electoral sprints could not make any of the three candidates a Presiding Membership of the assembly.The house is made up of 32 elected members and 14 government appointees.
Three aspirants namely, Hon James Kuungsaana Donkor, Assembly Members for Kperis electoral area, Hon. Ibrahim Daubile Assemblyman for Jonga electoral area and Hon. Abdul-Karim Topie, Assembly member for Nakori-Chassa electoral area, also the outgone Presiding member of the 4th Assembly, contested for the position of the Presiding Member. Out of this, Hon James Donkor Polled 4 votes, Hon Ibrahim Daubile had 18 votes, while Hon Topie secured 24 votes with none having two-third of the total votes cast in the first round.
Hon James Donkor having the lowest votes was authomatically disqualified from the second round of voting, Hon Daubile votes appreciated by a one-vote whereas Hon. Abdul Karim Topie added 4 votes to 24 at the end of the second polls yet none had the two-thrid majority of the votes which resulted to the adjournment of polls to February 2, 2020.
Meanwhile neither Hon. Topie nor Hon. Daubile indicates throwing down the towel. They were both optimistic the light of the February 2 polls will surely fall on them (Hon. Ibrahim or Hon. Topic) to become the next Presiding Member.
Hon Ibrahim Daubile stated “I was ask to step down for Hon Topie twice in a row, is time for him to also step down for me too. He is not the only one, he has been a presiding member twice and he is not working in favor of Assembly Members. Infact I will be rushing to him now! now! to step down for me, I will plead with him now I will not wait until he comes to me”.
On his part, Hon Abdul Karim Topie said “I know the house will consider my hard work to elect me, they considered my records before coming out to vote and I know for sure that victory shall come my way come 2nd February as the votes indicates”.
By: Salifu Wononuo