The overlord of Gonjaland, Yagbonwura Bii-kunuto Jewu Soale I, has flatly rejected President John Dramani Mahama's nominee, Braimah Alhassan, as Municipal Chief Executive for West Gonja Municipality in the Savannah Region.

On Tuesday, April 2, the nominee was in Damongo, and as custom demands, visited the chief of Damongo, Damongowura Seidu Kelly, to lead and introduce him to the overlord. But before they could make a move, Damongowura received a word from the Jakpa palace stating that the king did not want to set eyes on the nominee.

This message compelled Damongowura, his elders, and a team of National Democratic Congress (NDC) branch chairmen to quickly abandon their mission.

Sources within the ruling National Democratic Congress in Bole suggested that Mr Braimah Alhassan made another attempt to get the blessing of the King through some powerful senior Islamic clerics from Dakuripe in the Bole district, but upon hearing the King's decision, they also declined.

Even though there have not been any clear reasons for the overlord’s decision, rumours in town indicated that there is a land case in the Bole Magistrate Court between Yagbonwura and some close associates of the nominee.

"Since when did Mr Alhassan recognise Yagbonwura, or is it because the President nominated him? Because he has decided to have nothing to do with the overlord and the palace, which is the symbol of Gonja. "

"Listen, the era where anybody could disgrace the Jakpa palace and have their way is over. Some NDC Regional Council of elders and constituency executives during the 2024 elections came to seek the blessing of the King. Where was Braimah Alhassan? He refused to show up. Even when some national executives of the party came to the palace again, followed by the Bole-Bamboi MP and a host of regional and constituency executives, Mr Alhassan was in town but still refused to see eye to eye with the overlord. So, is it today that he wants to come; what has changed? The source inquired.

This development has attracted mixed reactions among party supporters in town, with some endorsing Yagbonwura's decision, whilst others plead for mercy.

The nominee, who is a professional anaesthetist and an employee of the Ghana Health Service, is the Damongo Constituency Secretary of the NDC, a position he has held for 27 years.

Checks by Myjoyonline.com indicated this is not the first time the nominee is facing rejection for a similar role.

During the late President John Evans Atta-Mills' regime, Mr Braimah Alhassan, described by many as down-to-earth, was nominated for the position of MCE but was confronted with petitions by the party's supporters.

He was subsequently replaced with his confidante, the now Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited, and a two-term Member of Parliament for Damongo, Adam Mutawakilu.