Simon Arthur, Presiding Member - Ada East Assembly
Members of the Ada East District Assembly in response to the declaration of Sarah Pobee as their new District Chief Executive have in a petition to the presidency, disputed her win describing it as ‘fraudulent’ and ‘condemnable’ and have demanded that she not be sworn-in.
The group mentioned that some occurrences before and during the election and confirmation made Sarah
Read full articlePobee’s victory questionable and therefore are strongly protesting it, adding that they, as a body, were ready to take measures necessary to ensure that electoral laws and processes are not taken for granted.
“We posit that Hon. Sarah Dugbakie Pobee is not to be sworn-in as the duly elected District Chief Executive of the Ada East District Assembly. In the coming days, we shall take steps to safeguard and protect the sanctity of our electoral process, electoral laws and our constitution,” they wrote.
Sarah Pobee was President Akufo-Addo’s nominee for the District Chief Executive position for the Ada East District Assembly in the Greater Accra Region.
Prior to the election on 3 November, she failed on two occasions to win the acceptance of the Assembly members where her previous attempt on October 25, 2017, gave her only 19 out of 36 votes, representing 52 percent while the requirement was to gain two-thirds of total votes cast.
The group in their petition said such factors prove the election was rigged; alleging that before the elections on November 3rd, heavily built men dressed in black posing as security personnel were seen at the election ground, and harassed some members of the media, a site that highly influenced how Assembly members cast their ballot.
They also mentioned the fact that the District Police Commander, BNI and Fire Service as well as the Deputy Regional Minister, Hon. Elizabeth Sackey tried to force the Presiding Member to change the venue for the confirmation vote contrary to their rules.
They allege that the purported security personnel snatched the ballot box following a complete blackout in the room the election took place while the police looked on unperturbed.
“The so-called National Security men somehow broke through the chain of the armed police officers purportedly guarding the hall and succeed in snatching the ballot box in the midst of several policemen who totally abdicated their duties on the day and brought their uniforms into disrepute. Lights in the room were immediately turned off,’ they wrote.
These happenings and many others are why the group is strongly advocating against the acceptance of the confirmation results.
Amid strong opposition and claims of manipulation by the police and vigilante group, Invincible Forces the DCE nominee for the Ada East District Assembly was after she reportedly polled 36 out of the 47 total valid votes.
The Presiding Member of the Assembly has reportedly refused to sign the declaration form alleging the ballot box was changed during the brief blackout.
“I am the Presiding Member (PM) and I am not going to sign because leadership must be by the will of the people. After the voting police officers [allowed] Invincible Forces into the auditorium to cause mayhem and this is what I predicted in the beginning,” he said.
Simon Arthur, Presiding Member - Ada East Assembly
