Paramount Chief elect, Paul Ngaba Saquee is forty years old and he is known for his close association with youths and his concern for the development of this vital sector of the chiefdom’s population is very much conspicuous. Following his excellent performance at the GCE O’Level and at the Sixth, he taught briefly in one of the Secondary Schools in his chiefdom, the Ansarul Islamic Boys Secondary School. He is still remembered for his outrightness and discipline by most of those students who passed through him as Teacher of Literature-in-English. He was mostly admired for his brilliance and fluency in the English Language, which in most cases was sourced with verbosity- the likeness of students at the time. His emergence at the chieftaincy polls last Friday, 10th March 2006 did not come as a surprise to most people in and out of the chiefdom.

The elections kicked off with declarations of rights by all the contestants which included; Joseph S. Gando, Stanley James Saquee, Sahr Nyama Sa’quee, Kange Kpakra, Sahr Borbor Gando, Tamba Gando, Daniel Gbessengombu, S.R.A.Gando, and A.E.Y. Gando. Indications were that prior to the election proper, alliances had been built up by the contestants, which in effect manifested itself clearly as the determinant of who was to become victorious.

On the D-Day (10th March), these alliances or to another extent, fraternities became a reality. Sahr Nyama Saquee pitched tent with Paul Ngaba Saquee, A.E.Y.Gando for Joseph S. Gando, S.R.A. Gando declined for Sahr Borbor Joseph Gando, and Tamba Gando also stepped down for Joseph Sahr Gando, Principal of Yengema Secondary School.

In the first round of voting, Joseph Sahr Gando who was objected by his brothers during the Declaration of Rights two weeks earlier on the grounds that he was not their biological brother, defeated the other five candidates polling a total of 344 votes, with Paul Ngaba Saquee polling 222, Kange Kpakra 205, Sahr Borbor Gando 101, Daniel Gbessengombu 98, and Stanley James Saquee with 23 votes. With none of the contestants unable to obtain the required 55% threshold after the counts from the first round of voting, Joseph Sahr Gando and Paul Ngaba Saquee, who came first and second with 344 votes and 222 votes respectively, were declared to contest the run- off.

Following the cast of votes and the release of the results, Paul Ngaba Saquee emerged victorious with a total of 563 votes in his favour representing 56.3% while Joseph Sahr Gando polled 436 votes which is 44% of the total votes cast. Paul Ngaba Saquee was therefore declared duly elected Paramount Chief of Tankoro Chiefdom.

In an interview with the Acting Paramount Chief of Tankoro (Regent Chief) Chief E.T.T. Nyandebu, he noted that indeed the Paramount Chief elect comes from the Saquee ruling house and as an elite and educationist; the chiefdom is bound to grow from strength to strength.

In his post election speech, Paramount Chief elect, Paul Ngaba Saquee V; as he will be officially known, assured his people of his commitment and determination to forge ahead with the socio-economic development aspirations of the chiefdom in particular and Kono District in general. He called on his opponents to join him in the campaign to push for the development of the chiefdom as well as to promote peace and harmony among the people of the chiefdom. "We had just concluded a contest, which allows for a single winner. But that does not mean that as a loser one is no longer part of the chiefdoms development aspirations. All of us should come together as brothers and in the interest of our children and those yet unborn to show unity," P.C. Paul Ngaba Saquee noted. He went to make a special appeal to Mr. Joseph Sahr Gando to accept the result and to join him to work in the interest of the chiefdom.

Regent Chief of Tankoro, E.T.T. Nyandebu said in an interview that he was happy that the whole election process passed off peacefully, and thanked the people of Tankoro for their show of understanding. He went on to state that with the chiefdom now having a new Paramount Chief, he will now be busy preparing to hand over the mantle of Paramount Chieftaincy of Tankoro. He noted, "I am very happy that I now have a trusted son of the soil in whom the people have entrusted their faith and destiny."

Chief Kamanda Bongay, the Accessor Chief during the Declaration of Rights and the elections, applauded the people of Tankoro for their tolerance and referred to the day as "historical" in the calendar of the chiefdom.

Paramount Chief Paul Ngaba Saquee V will be officially inaugurated on 21st March, 2006, during the official visit of His Excellency the President and the Vice President to Kono District.

Two other newly elected Paramount Chiefs in Kono District will receive their official recognitions that day. They are: Mr. Aiah Denton Bona of Nimikoro Chiefdom and Mr. Fasuluku of the Sando Chiefdom.