“Neutral” ACC Presidential Candidate Dr. Essoh Essis Throws His Hat In Ring With Arkadi Dvorkovich

With the Ethics Commission set to meet today the 28th day of September, on the report submitted by FIDE Acting President Mr Gorgios Makropoulos against the former Deputy Prime Minister and FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee Chairman, Mr Arkadi Dvorkovich, the Africa Chess Confederation (ACC) Presidential candidate, Dr Essoh Essis has declared his endorsement for Mr Dvorkovich in a letter to the African delegates.

Dr. Essoh Essis with his trademark hat observing a game in Batumi | Image by Kim Bhari

Dr Essoh has held his own on being an independent candidate for the ACC since the beginning of the campaign until the announcement yesterday, and mentioned in his letter to the delegates, that he met with the three (3) candidates (GM Nigel Short, Mr Arkadi Dvorkovich and the FIDE Acting President, Mr Gorgios Makropoulos) since his arrival to Batumi, and after careful considerations with his team, realized that Mr Arkadi is the best candidate to take chess to the next level and also has the best plan for Africa, which is his own priority.

A few weeks ago on Tweeter, GM Nigel Short declared his partnership with Mr Arkadi Dvorkovich, where he mentioned the fact that they are seeking virtually the same thing, which is a FRESH FIDE for all, and he received both praise and condemnation on the same platform. At a point when people are shying away from endorsements for Mr Dvorkovich, because of the uncertainty of the Ethics Committee ruling, Dr Essoh Essis throws his hat in the ring with the Russian and sticks his neck out to provide an endorsement for and from the African Continent.

…the result of the Ethics committee today will decide the fate of Mr Arkadi…

With this announcement, it has become apparent that most of the African delegates are leaning towards the Arkadi ticket and the question that would be on most other continent’s lips going towards the election, would be: How many votes would this statement yield? But before then, the result of the Ethics committee today will decide the fate of Mr Arkadi and inform of his eligibility for the upcoming election on the third (3rd) of October, which is just a few days away.

As it stands on the African continent, where there are three (3) candidates, Mr Tshepo Sitale of Botswana, ACC President, Mr Lewis Ncube of Zambia and Dr Essoh Essis of Cote D’Ivoire, there are two (2) candidates supporting Mr Arkadi Dvorkovich, even though only one (1) has made a public declaration, while the other has shown by actions and association that he supports him, as the third candidate has shown by public declaration and association that he and his team supports Mr Gorgios Makropoulos.

Mr. Arkadi Dvorkovich (left) in earnest discussion with Engr. Mwaka at Batumi | Image by Kim Bhari

Will these be enough to guarantee a great future for Africans and African Chess? Will the fall of one on the FIDE ticket mean the fall of their supporter on the African continent? What will happen if a FIDE candidate wins and the opposing counterpart wins on the continent? Would this achieve the autonomy that Africans have been yearning for? Or would it crush Africa under the superior power of FIDE?

These are the questions on our lips, as the elections close in and everything unfolds for everyone to see and experience.

What is your take as our reader!?