Over-voting halts DCE election at Kwahu East

There was total confusion when over-voting halted the second attempt to confirm Mr Samuel Asamoah, as the District Chief Executive (DCE) of the Kwahu East District on Thursday.

After a voting exercise, supervised by the Regional Electoral officer, which saw a total number of 33 assembly members casting their votes, 37 ballot sheets were strangely found in the ballot box after counting.

Strangely, all the 37 ballot sheets were all stamped with the Electoral Commission’s (EC) embossment which makes them genuine.

What puzzled those present was how the four votes managed to enter the ballot box in the glare eyes of the assembly members and the EC.

The President’s nominee polled 22 votes; the exact figure to make the two-thirds majority needed to win the post.

Mr Kwame Agyapong, the Presiding Member (PM) for the assembly, expressed his amazement at what had happened and said the assembly members would meet to discuss the confirmation or otherwise of the DCE.

Ms Mavis Ama Frimpong, the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, who witnessed the process, indicated that the assembly members could not entirely blame the EC for the unfortunate event and suggested that investigation be done to unearth the truth.

About a week ago, the assembly failed to elect Mr Asamoah when he could not poll the two-thirds majority needed as 19 members voted for him and 13 against, with one rejected vote.

Mr Asamoah had suffered the same fate last four years when he failed to be elected for the first time but got the nod the second time.

Source: GNA