General Secretary for the Ghana Athletics Association and a key member of the #TeamAkpokavi in the just ended Ghana Olympic Committee Elections, Bawah Fuseini, has blamed their crushing defeat on “extreme betrayal” from their own candidates.
Incumbent, Ben Nunoo-Mensah, beat Richard Akpokavi to the GOC Presidency, with all other candidates he fielded in the other positions all winning a landslide victory.
Akpokavi, along with all the 17 other persons who filed to contest various positions on his ticket, were left shocked at the results, but one member, Bawa Fuseini, who contested and lost the position of Deputy General Secretary of the GOC, believes betrayal from team members is to blame for their defeat.
“The word ‘surprise’ or ‘disappointment’ is an understatement,” he told Citi sports on the sidelines of the elections.
“Because if you look at the ballot papers, our people who were contesting, if they had voted for us, we would not have gotten the numbers we got.
“For me, that’s the mark of extreme betrayal. I’m a man and if I say I will vote for you, I will not turn around and do otherwise,” he said.
Mr Nunoo Mensah’s 35 points were only seven more than Mr. Akpokavi’s total tally. The result means he now has a new four-year mandate in charge of the Committee.
Also elected on Monday were Paul Atchoe, Frederick Otu Lartey and Mohammed Mahadi were Vice Presidents, Mohammed Sahnoon as Secretary-General and Frederick Acheampong, who is an Executive Committee member of the Ghana Football Association, as Treasurer.
Take a look at the full results below:
Results of 2021 Ghana Olympic Committee Elective Congress
PRESIDENT
1.Richard Akpokavie Esq – Hockey 28
2.Ben Nunoo Mensah – Weightlifting 35
1ST VICE
1.Mawuko Afadzinu – Table Tennis 26
2.Paul Atchoe – Volleyball 37
2ND VICE
Evans Yeboah – Badminton 12
Frederick Otu Lartey – Taekwondo 51
3RD VICE
Charles Osei Asibey – Armwrestling 23
Mohammed Mahadi – Fencing 40
SECRETARY-GENERAL
Richmond Quarcoo – Squash 22
Mohammed Sahnoon Esq – Cycling 41
Deputy Secretary-General
Ahmed Shaib – Weightlifting 44
Bawa Fuseini – Triathlon 19
TREASURER
Frederick Acheampong – Football 41
Christopher Essilfie – Olympian 22
DEPUTY TREASURER
Isaac Aboagye Duah – Tennis 41
Christopher Darko – Amankrah – Athletics 22
Five Representatives elected from National Federation’s affiliates to the International Federations recognized by the IOC and whose sports are included in the Olympic programme:
Michael Aggrey – Golf
George Okoe Lamptey – Amateur Boxing
Albert Frimpong – Baseball
Emmanuel Tetteh – Judo
Delphina Quaye – Swimming
One elected member from a non-Olympic sports federation
Abdul Hayye – Bodybuilding (unopposed)
*One elected member from a National Federation affiliated to the GOC :
Samuel Ayer – SESSA 27
Dr.Bella Bello Bitugo – GUSA 36**
*Three other members elected by Congress :
Rev. Emmanuel Dzani Nikoi – Netball
Michael Nkow Ayeh – GES
Emmanuel O. Asare – Cricket