Fianoo would not be drawn into vote buying allegations

Accra, July 20, GNA - Chief Executive of obuasi Ashgold, Kudjoe Fia= noo has been dumped from the 24-member Executive Committee of the Ghana Footbal= l Association (GFA) but has refused to be drawn into any of the vote buying allegations hovering around.

Fianoo, seeking re-election to the Board lost his bid after three rounds of elections and even though disappointed with his inability to pull it off, he has refused to agree the big spenders must have had their way. He told GNA Sports, 93I am not disappointed because elections can be like that. I tested my strength against others and obviously the delegates thought my best was not enough."

"Unfortunately, I cannot talk about the allegations about whether so= me delegates must have being bought because I did not try to buy votes and neither did anyone approach me for any money." He added. When asked whether he felt the big spenders must have bulldozed their way into the Committee regarded as the Cabinet of the GFA, he said, =91unfortunately there was a campaign of votes for the Club owners and it appears the delegates bought into that approach." "Today it has worked for those who campaigned on those lines, I do n= ot know what will win it for them another day but obviously that worked agains= t those of us who are not Club owners."

Officials of the Electoral Commission were compelled to initiate the process of a round-off in search of the two winners to join the top four wh= o chalked first round victories after Randy Abbey, Fianoo, Emmanuel Kyeremeh and John Fred Mensah tied on nine votes each. With Abbey picking eight votes, one less than his first round accumulation, the Mighty Jets nominee led the park in the second round leaving Mensah who have emerged as a surprised package in the contest with six votes, with Kyeremeh and Fianoo picking seven apiece to throw the process into another round.

After the final round of voting, Kyeremeh pipped Fianoo with nine votes, two more than the latter to make a maiden appearance on the Committee. There was a massive allegation of vote buying on the rounds up to the elections. Hearts of Oak's Chief Executive, Fred Crentsil, Liberty Professional= 's Felix Anson, New Edubiase's Moses Armah, Kotoko's Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, Abbey and Chelsea's Kyeremeh are representatives of the Premiership clubs= on the Executive Committee.