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Dear Arnaud,<br>
I thank you for sharing your thoughts on the issue under hand.<br>
Ashok.<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 30/05/2018 01:56, Arnaud AMELINA
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:CAGDMR_f-yYR6UxohpYL01aWWT2kyADDs22XK52h+u8Dmw-FOyw@mail.gmail.com">
<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" moz-do-not-send="true">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" moz-do-not-send="true">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"
moz-do-not-send="true">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" moz-do-not-send="true">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"
moz-do-not-send="true">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" moz-do-not-send="true">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>
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</div>
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