Some aggrieved candidates and members of the ruling New Patriotic Party in the New Juaben South constituency have accused their Member of Parliament Michael Okyere Baafi of using the armed military, national security and police to intimidate and manipulate the polling station election.
There have been widespread reports of disqualification and denial of nomination forms to aspirants perceived to be aligned to Dr Mark Assibey Yeboah, a former MP in polling stations across the constituency leaving favourites of the MP to run unopposed.
Some unknown persons are also reportedly bused and moved around to vote in Polling stations that they do not have original votes. On Tuesday for instance, the same tactics were allegedly used to manipulate the election at Koforidua Polytechnic polling station election.
The election which was supposed to come off around 8:00 am is was delayed after some candidates resisted attempts to force strange voters bused in two sprinter vehicles to vote.
However to the surprise of the aggrieved candidates, personnel of the national security, police and military stormed the polling station centre at about 7:30 pm to supervise the process at the blind side of some of the candidates and delegates who had left to their homes.
“I’m sad to see this kind of dirty game that our people are playing. It is very unfortunate because we pride ourselves with democracy so why the military intimidating the people on the ground. The military presence alone means that you deliberately have a plan to intimidate the electorate on the ground so that you will never vote for those you perceive they are not with you,” Isaac Boadi, a polling station aspirant contesting for secretary position in Polytechnic polling station said.
Sampson Ahunu who was vying for Polling station chairman said “they came in with heavy security in a convoy of 15 vehicles to vote at about 7:30 pm getting to 8:00 pm when everyone has left. They voted in a dark place instead of the opened place designated as a polling station. In sempoamiensa electoral area, they disqualified almost all members of the elephant family here that contested so that their favourites go unopposed. We are very peeved and bitter”
The polling station election in New Juaben South is taking place despite an ex-parte court injunction secured by some aggrieved members against the process.
The four plaintiffs, Jalil Ibn Tahir, Amoh Jonas, Ako George, and Mable Asantewaa Aikins, accused the constituency executives and MP of deliberately denying them nomination forms.
However, the lawmaker Okyere Baafi has denied the allegations. He has also stated that nobody in the party has been served with the injunction.
source : Starrfm.com.gh/103.5fm/Kojo Ansah
