<div dir="ltr">Dear Ashok as a lawyer you know that there is the law and spirit of the law, please read bellow <br><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">2018-05-25 11:18 GMT+00:00 Ashok <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:ashok@afrinic.net" target="_blank">ashok@afrinic.net</a>></span>:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
Dear All,<br>
I apologize for having missed your rejoinder to my mail.<br></div></blockquote><div> </div><div>Despite the delays, we appreciate your response as the matter is of great concern.</div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
Your first question regards the reason as to why the same principle
has been applied to the election for Seat 2 <br>
notwithstanding the fact that there were two candidates.<br>
My response is that an election cannot be run on different
principles. In this particular election the option "none of the
above " was <br>
introduced for the first time and everyone was aware of this and it
applied to all the elections held on that day. The Election
guidelines were amended to acomodate this option.<br></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Yes indeed and the elections guidelines explicitely addressed the case of only a single candidate running for election and the option " none of the above" in this case got more votes than the sole candidate but is very silent in the case of multiple candidates running for elections with the option "none of the above" getting more votes. <br></div><div><br></div><div><div>Anytime elections involve the option "none of the above", there are always clear rules on how the results are interpreted and the actions that must be taken when the option "none of the above" get more votes than the multiple candidates. </div><div><br></div><div>It's not my intention to teach you something here, but it does look very bizarre that the legal counsel never bothered to help the board to make the guidelines unambiguous and conform to members expectations.</div></div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
Consequently this option has to be taken in consideration when
finalising the results.<br>
Where there were two candidates. The options for voters were (1) yes
for candidate (1)-((2) yes for candidate 2-(3) yes for non of the
above.Each one is mutually exclusive.<br>
Each score to be counted separately. The majority for either option
wins the day. </div></blockquote><div><br></div><div><div>Following your reasoning above and the guidelines which say the candidate with the highest votes win, the members and community should then accept "none of the above" as the elected candidate and seated although "none of the above " did not go through Nomcom and was not listed on the candidates slates published by Nomcom.</div><div><br></div><div>Which means seat 2 should not be declared vacant to be filled by board.</div><div><br></div><div>Filling seat 2 by board would constitute the violation of "none of the above" rights and of our rules and thus expose us to legal litigation.</div></div><div><br></div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div bgcolor="#FFFFFF">One should not create a fictitious majority by adding
votes polled by (1) & (2) together. The real majority was to all
intents and purposes the option which polled the most votes. There
is no need to extrapolate or interpret. <br></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div><div>There is No fictitious majority being created. It was just an example of how this case could have been interpreted just like you do have your own interpretation. </div><div><br></div><div>In many cases, abstention is compared to voters in order to decide how to proceed with validating an election and counting results..</div></div><div><br></div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
Where there was one candidate there were two options- Yes for the
single candidate or yes for "non of the above"<br></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>The case of a sole candidate is clear as per the guidelines and there are no objections on seat 5 and 6 results.<br></div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
My reference to Art 10.2 was based on the decision of the members
present at past AGMMs to have the option of rejecting a single
candidate or to give their approval to the single candidate, This
has occurred more than once.<br></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>And once again, the case of a single candidate is handled as members agreed to and not debated<br></div><div><br></div><div><div>Thank you</div></div><div><br></div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
Legal Counsel AFRINIC.<div><div class="gmail-h5"><br>
<br>
<div class="gmail-m_5703073448157574545moz-cite-prefix">On 24/05/2018 21:11, Arnaud AMELINA
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div dir="auto">
<div>
<div dir="auto">Dear CEO and Chairman</div>
<div dir="auto"><br>
</div>
<div dir="auto">It looks like the Legal counsel has not
responded to this query bellow regarding this very
important issue about the recently concluded elections. </div>
<div dir="auto"><br>
</div>
<div dir="auto">Could you kindly remind him? </div>
<div dir="auto"><br>
</div>
<div dir="auto">Let us address this to a good conclusion in
order to enforce the respect of our rules and processes.</div>
<div dir="auto"><br>
</div>
Regards </div>
<div dir="auto"><br>
</div>
<div dir="auto">Arnaud <br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote" dir="auto">
<div dir="ltr">Le sam. 19 mai 2018 11:40, Omo Oaiya <<a href="mailto:Omo.Oaiya@wacren.net" target="_blank">Omo.Oaiya@wacren.net</a>> a
écrit :<br>
</div>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div dir="ltr">
<div class="gmail_extra">
<div>
<div>Dear Legal Counsel,<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Thanks for your input. Much appreciated. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Your statements reinforce the interpretation of
section 9.2 of the guidelines with the origin of
the "none of the above" option in the election
process and how votes for this option are
considered in the case of one candidate running
for election for a seat. [Last bullet point] <br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Case in which the election becomes a "yes" or
"no" vote for the only candidate. This point is
clear and accepted and the objection is not for
the results for seat 5 and 6.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>What has not been clarified is how the same
principle came to be applied for the elections for
seat 2 which had two candidates running for the
seat, one of whom got higher votes than the other,
with the total number of members casting votes in
excess of those opting out.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>You also referred to art 10.2 of the
constitution but did not elaborate on the
precedence that occurred that has become an
integral part of our guidelines. As precedence
automatically becomes part of the election
guidelines, it is important that we address issues
which come up around the election with care and
unambiguously. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>
<div style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Can
you be so kind to clarify? </div>
<br>
</div>
<div>Best wishes</div>
<div>Omo</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>PS: Grateful to listers to please keep this
thread confined to the subject.</div>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On 17 May 2018 at 17:17,
Ashok <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:ashok@afrinic.net" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">ashok@afrinic.net</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> Dear Members and
Community,<br>
Mt views have been sought on the matter under
reference.<br>
Please find same hereunder.<br>
<br>
<div class="gmail-m_5703073448157574545m_4753288495632542585m_-8469710531738800970gmail-m_6469985645637664215moz-cite-prefix">On
17/05/2018 14:04, B
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>The Election
Process and last AGMM.</u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">The appointment
of Directors is carried out during an AGMM
of the Company –Art 13.1 of the
constitution.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">The election of
the Directors is carried out in terms of Art
13.2 of the constitution which refers
expressly to the election process approved
by the Board.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">Moreover<span> </span>Art
10.2 of the Constitution refers to precedent
applied during an AFRINIC election and which
de facto become part of the election
guidelines. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">The election
process<span> </span>as it stands today is
the one which was applied during<span> </span>the
elections held during the last AGMM without
any opposition.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">This is what it
provides:</p>
<span class="gmail-m_5703073448157574545m_4753288495632542585m_-8469710531738800970gmail-">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><b><span>9.2
Paper Ballot on Election Day</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span>The
voting conducted during the Annual
General Members' Meeting is carried out
via paper ballots containing a list of
candidate names and a ballot number.
Prior to the vote, all members present
or participants holding a proxy will be
requested to register and validate their
membership status.</span></p>
</span>
<ul type="disc">
<ul type="circle">
<ul type="square">
<span class="gmail-m_5703073448157574545m_4753288495632542585m_-8469710531738800970gmail-">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;line-height:normal"><span>Voters
should only vote for one candidate
per category/region. Each mark on
a ballot paper represents one
vote. A ballot with more than one
mark per category/region will be
considered spoilt, and not be
counted.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;line-height:normal"><span>The
ballot paper should provide voters
with the option to not vote for
any candidate (a.k.a. "None of the
Above").</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;line-height:normal"><span>This
will be a secret ballot election.
An inclusion of any personal data
on the ballot paper will
invalidate the vote and will be
counted as spoilt.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;line-height:normal"><span>Elections
will be closed as soon as the last
member or proxy present in the
meeting room casts his/her vote.
Candidates with the highest number
of votes in each category will be
declared winners.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;line-height:normal"><span>In
the event of a tie for an open
position, voting for that position
will be repeated (Only by paper
ballot) the same day until there
is a winner.</span></li>
</span><span class="gmail-m_5703073448157574545m_4753288495632542585m_-8469710531738800970gmail-">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;line-height:normal"><span>All
open positions shall be subject to
an election process even if there
is only one candidate. In that
event, if the option [none of the
above] got more votes than the
only candidate, then the seat
shall be considered vacant and the
Board will be requested</span><span>
</span><span>to apply provisions of
the Bylaws to temporarily fill the
vacant seat</span></li>
</span>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">The last
amendment of the election guidelines
introduced the voting option “ None of the
Above”. –(Vide second bullet point
above.)Those voters who have cast their
votes for “ None of the Above” have done so
in compliance with the prevailing<span> </span>constitution
<span> </span>and these are thus valid
votes. Every voter was aware of the new
option.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">The election
guidelines are clear as to what happens when
the “ None of the Above” option has a
majority.- (Vide last bullet point above.)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">The election
guidelines must be read as a whole and all
the provisions read together.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">Legal Counsel
–AFRINIC</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">17.05.2018</p>
oubakar Barry wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div>
<div class="gmail-m_5703073448157574545m_4753288495632542585m_-8469710531738800970gmail-h5">
<div dir="ltr"> <span></span>
<p style="margin-bottom:0.08in"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2">Hello Board and Legal
Counsel,</font></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0.08in"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span lang="en-GB">Good
that Omo spotted this. </span></font></font>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0.08in"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span lang="en-GB">It’s a
matter of applying the board
election process adopted by the
board according to section 13.2
of the bylaws. </span></font></font>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0.08in"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span lang="en-GB"><a href="https://afrinic.net/en/community/elections/bod-election/process" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://afrinic.net/en/<wbr>community/elections/bod-<wbr>election/process</a>
describes the process and
section 9 spells out how to
interpret the results in the
case there are more than one
candidate and in the case there
is only one candidate. These two
cases are addressed separately
and differently.</span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0.08in"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span lang="en-GB">It’s
important to hear from the Board
and the Legal Counsel, as the
elections can be challenged.</span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0.08in"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span lang="en-GB">Please
advise.</span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0.08in"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span lang="en-GB">Regards.<br>
</span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0.08in"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span lang="en-GB">Boubakar</span></font></font></p>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, May
16, 2018 at 5:24 PM, Omo Oaiya <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:Omo.Oaiya@wacren.net" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Omo.Oaiya@wacren.net</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div>Greetings All,</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I am looking at the BoD
election process and it seems
to me that the recent e-mail
from the Board Chair seeking
nominations for vacant seats
should not be extended to
Western Africa. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The particular clause I am
referring to is in 9.2 - <a href="https://afrinic.net/en/community/elections/bod-election/process" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://afrinic.net/en/<wbr>community/elections/bod-<wbr>election/process</a></div>
<div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<ul style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Helvetica,Arial,FreeSans,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;background-color:rgb(238,238,238)">
<li><br class="gmail-m_5703073448157574545m_4753288495632542585m_-8469710531738800970gmail-m_6469985645637664215m_-4659973576612295384Apple-interchange-newline">
Elections will be closed
as soon as the last
member or proxy present
in the meeting room
casts his/her vote.
Candidates with the
highest number of votes
in each category will be
declared winners</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
</div>
<div>
<div>I see from the list for
West Africa that the
candidate with the highest
number of votes should have
been declared winner and
this is Dr Ousmane Tessa.
(btw, Dr Adewale Adedokun
needs his name spelt
correctly)</div>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<p style="margin-top:5px;margin-bottom:5px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Helvetica,Arial,FreeSans,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;background-color:rgb(238,238,238)"><br>
<b>Western Africa - Seat 2</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:5px;margin-bottom:5px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Helvetica,Arial,FreeSans,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;background-color:rgb(238,238,238)">Dr
Adelawe Abedekon - 43</p>
<p style="margin-top:5px;margin-bottom:5px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Helvetica,Arial,FreeSans,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;background-color:rgb(238,238,238)">Dr
Ousmane Moussa Tessa - 56</p>
<p style="margin-top:5px;margin-bottom:5px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Helvetica,Arial,FreeSans,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;background-color:rgb(238,238,238)">None
of the above - 78</p>
<p style="margin-top:5px;margin-bottom:5px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Helvetica,Arial,FreeSans,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;background-color:rgb(238,238,238)"><i>Result:
The seat is vacant</i></p>
<div><br>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The results from the other
regions are valid and
supported by the following
clause as they had one
candidate. </div>
<div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<ul style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Helvetica,Arial,FreeSans,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;background-color:rgb(238,238,238)">
<ul>
<li>All open positions
shall be subject to an
election process even
if there is only one
candidate. In that
event, if the option
[none of the above]
got more votes than
the only candidate,
then the seat shall be
considered vacant and
the Board will be
requested to apply
provisions of the
Bylaws to temporarily
fill the vacant seat. </li>
</ul>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<br>
</div>
<div>Can AfriNIC and the nomcom
please clarify? We should
not deprive Dr Tessa of a
rightful win …. especially in
the circumstances we find
ourselves.</div>
<span class="gmail-m_5703073448157574545m_4753288495632542585m_-8469710531738800970gmail-m_6469985645637664215HOEnZb"><font color="#888888">
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Omo</div>
</font></span></div>
<br>
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</blockquote>
</div>
<br>
</div>
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