Demeke Mekonnen, chairman of the Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM), one of the four parties constituting the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and deputy chairman of the Front, disclosed today that he declined to accept candidacy for the chairmanship of the EPRDF in the interest of bringing new faces to the leadership of the ruling party and contribute his part in the deep renewal process.
Demeke said this today in an exclusive Interview with the Amhara Mass Media Agency based in regional capital.
According to the same report, Demeke made the decision not to stand for the election after having discussed the matter with the other high level leadership of his home party the ANDM.
This statement comes three days after Head of EPRDF Secretariat, Shiferaw Shigutie, water dawn the issue of Demeke’s an expected withdrawal saying; “it was not up to the member parties to present their respective candidates but all of the members of the council had the possibility of being nominated as candidate.”
Shiferaw added that the Council had already agreed on the candidacy of the three individuals after the screening out of possible candidates through nomination from the council members. Then a secret ballot vote casting was done finally deciding Abiy Ahmed (PhD) as chair of the Front.
Abiy is scheduled to be sworn in as the nation’s Prime Minister on the Monday April 2, 2018 at the House of Peoples Representatives.
