There is controversy over claims that the Gbese Mantse, Nii Ayi-Bonte II, should vacate his throne after his alleged assertion that if President Mahama does not win the 2016 presidential election, he would destool himself.
While one group, the ‘Gbese Dzase Kingmakers’, has given him an ultimatum to vacate the seat in seven days, two other groups are claiming that the chief’s speech was taken out of contest.
At a press conference organised by ‘the principal kingmakers of the Gbese stool’ and the youth of Gbese in Accra yesterday, they both said the other faction did not have any locus stand to call for the destoolment of the Gbese Mantse.
First press conference
In a separate press conference yesterday, the two rubbished the seven days ultimatum given by the ‘Gbese Dzase Kingmakers’, who they alleged were not the kingmakers of Gbese but rather disgruntled individuals, some of who in did not even come from any royal family within the Ga State to be called kingmakers.
In the first press conference organised by the youth of Gbese and addressed by their leader, Nii Annan Agbo, they claimed that the Gbese Mantse, at the sod cutting for the rebuilding of the Salaga Market, just before the December 7 election, was full of joy for the number of projects that had been undertaken within his jurisdiction, which included a boxing arena at Bukom, and “pledged that if Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, the Member of Parliament for Odododiodo, and Alfred Okoe Vanderpuye are beaten in the parliamentary election, he would step down. They have won, so what is Nii Ayi-Bonte’s crime?”
According to the youth group, the Gbese Divisional Council has noted with anxiety meetings and plans to disturb the peace and tranquility of Gbese from the midnight of January 6, 2017.
Nii Agbo said, “We the people of Gbese, irrespective of our political affiliation, wish to state categorically that Nii Ayi Bonte II has not committed any crime to warrant abdication.”
Referring to the other group as “self-styled kingmakers”, he said they were in a hurry to embark on their long-held intentions of creating chaos in Gbese, and were propagating such lies for him to abdicate.
“Nii Ayi Bonte II was traditionally and customarily enstooled as chief of Gbese, therefore anyone who thinks that they can use illegitimate means to destool him should be ready to wipe off the face of the earth all the people of Gbese,” he said.
He called on the President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, the President–elect, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, and all those concerned with peace and security of the country to take note of these developments, as well as those individuals who were bent on causing the disruption of the peace and act appropriately.
Second press conference
The Principal Kingmakers of the Gbese Stool, in another press conference to show their solidarity for the Gbese Mantse, also said they had met with Nii Ayi–Bonte II and the issue had been thoroughly discussed by the accredited elders.
“We wish to inform the general public that the inner core customary issue cannot be disclosed in public. The steps taken by the Gbese Dzase brings the matter to a closure and urge the public /media to desist from denigrating the person of Nii Ayi–Bonte II.”
Among the kingmakers of Gbese present at the briefing were Kometse Mensah Doku, the Head of Family of Penshiaku we, Nii John Ayitey Welbeck, the acting Gbese Dzastse; Nii Ayi Ardayfio II, Gbese Akwashongtse; Nii Ayikwei Okai I, Gbese Osiahene/Seintse; Nii Ayikai Notse I, Head of Family of Naa Onindin Akua/Akwete Krobo saki We; Nii Okai Tagoe, Gbese Anerje/Okai Odibaye we.
Earlier press conference
The ‘Gbese Dzase Kingmakers’ at their press conference on Wednesday, December 21, 2016 asked Nii Ayi Bonte to step down as Gbese Mantse in fulfilment of his earlier promise to give up his position should Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo win the presidential election.
According to them, Nii Ayi Bonte had no business being the Gbese Mantse because his name was not even recognised among the kingmakers.
Present at the press briefing were Nii Teiko Akorsoku IV, Nii Tetteh Ankaman II, Nii Akwetey Krobo Sackie and Nii Okai Kasabiofo III.
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