Election of AU Commission Chairperson ends in deadlock

A deadlock in the election of a Chairperson for the African Union Commission (AUC) for the next four years, has compelled the African Union to adjourn the ballot till  July.

Neither Jean Ping, the incumbent Chairperson who hails from Gabon, nor his contender Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the South African Home Affairs Minister and ex-wife of South African President Jacob Zuma could get enough votes to win the AU Chairmanship.

Neither of the two candidates got the required two-thirds of the votes.

Sources filtering through from the closed door meeting told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the election was very competitive.

In line with the rules of the Union, Ping and Dlamini-Zuma can no longer contest for the post and new candidates must now be nominated.

Ping could not get the two-thirds votes after Dlamini-Zuma withdrew from the contest when the first round produced 29-25 in his favour.

Meanwhile, Mr Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission will now hold the fort until the polls are held.

The summit is divided on the venue for the next AU meeting as proposal for Malawi  comes against the rules that the current Chair of the 54-nation continental body, Benin, should host the next meeting.

Source: GNA