Wa Municipal elects Presiding Member

Wa, July 20, GNA - After three unsuccessful attempts, the Wa Municipal Assembly on Tuesday settled on Mr Ibrahim Seidu, Assemblyman for Jonga Electoral Area, as the new Presiding Member. Mr Seidu, who is a Community Development Officer, polled 22 votes with one against.

He was the sole candidate after the Assembly in a motion, unanimously asked the two other contestants to step down after the third ballot.

Mr Umar Ibn Mohammed had earlier defeated Mr Separatus Ongo, by 12 votes to 11 but that was below the two-third votes required to occupy the position.

Incidentally, the new Presiding Member stepped down after, the first round of voting held on July 12, during which he had seven votes, while Mr Mohammed and Mr Ongo secured 11 and seven votes respectively. In the second ballot held on the same day, Mr Mohammed polled 14 votes as against 11 by Mr Ongo.

This prompted the Assembly to appoint one of its members as Acting Presiding Member to enable them to endorse Mr Mark Adams Banda as the Municipal Chief Executive with all the 25 votes going in his favour. The election of a new Presiding Member for the Assembly became necessary following the splitting of the Wa District into Wa Municipal, Wa East and West districts.

The former Presiding Member found himself in the Wa East District Assembly.