The Western Region House of Chiefs (WRHC) could not sit last Friday, October 18, 2024 to elect leaders to steer the affairs of the House, following a writ of summons issued against the House over the election.
The House had scheduled the day for the election and served notice to members who make up the House to avail themselves for the polls.
However, when members of the House arrived for the process, they were told the election could not come off because of the impending writ of summons issued against the House over the election.
Members that arrived for the election were Nana Kobina Nketsiah IV, Omanhene of Essikado;AwulaeAttibrukusu III, Omanhene of Lower Axim;AwulaeAmihereKpanyile III, Omanhene of Eastern Nzema;Awuale Annor Adjae, Omanhene of Western Nzema;OsabarimaKwawEntsie, Omanhene of Mpohor and Nana Kwesi Agyemang, Omanhene of Lower Dixcove.
However, Obrempong Hima Dekyi, Omanhene of Upper Dixcove;TetrettehOkuamoaSekyim, Omanhene of Wassa Akropong andAwulae Agyefi Kwame II,Omanhene of Nsein were not spotted by this journalist at the House.
The Registrar of the House, Ollenu Willam, who confirmed the service of the writ, was locked up in the office with six chiefs, who were present for the election.
The Electoral Commission (EC), which is constitutionally mandated to conduct the election was not present at all, given that they had earlier in the day been served with the writ.
The Registrar did not also tell who was behind the fresh writ against the House.
However, this Reporter gathered that AwulaeAngamatuo Gyan III, Omanhene of Gwira, is the Plaintiff in the fresh writ issued against the House.
Angamatuo Gyan is praying to a Sekondi High Court to stop the House from holding the election until his appeal, pending before an Appeal Court in Sekondi is determined.
Angamatuo Gyan had filed a stay of execution in a matter in which a Sekondi High Court, presided over by Justice Dr. Richmond Osei Hwere, had declared the last election of the WRHC null and void.
But the Court dismissed his stay application.
The court declared the election null and void on grounds that there was no quorum formed in the last disputed election, which elected Tetretteh Okumoah Sekyim and Angamatuo Gyan as president and vice president respectively.
An unsatisfied Agamtuo Gyan has filed an appeal, which is yet to be determined.
It is in the light of the above that Angamatuo Gyan asked the High Court to stop the election, until his appeal was determined.
Others have argued that the appeal, for which the plaintiff would want a determination before the fresh election can be held is moot given the fact that the four-year term of the last disputed election expired last week.
The October 18, 2024 election was to confirm Nana Kobina Nketsiah III, Omanhene of Essikado Traditional Area as president, given that he is contesting the position unopposed.
Nana Kwesi Agyemang and Angamtuo Gyan were to slug it out for the vice president position.
The election of the representation of five onto the National House of Chiefs (NHC) was also to be slugged out by eight contestants. The contestants are Kobina Nketsiah, Kwesi Agyemang, Amihere Kpanyile III and Attibrukusu, amongst others.
