A bubbling confusion that nearly turned violent has marred a Konkomba Students Union (KONSU) elections held at Kurkorna in the East Mamprusi district of the Northern Region.
The elections were organised on Friday, January 6 by the Gbuntiri chapter of the Union to elect new executives as part of activities marking its annual congress scheduled to be climaxed next day.
Emmanuel Gulari, president of the chapter who stood for reelection according to Starr News sources angrily boycotted the elections and left the grounds with some of his supporters before voting ended.
Voting proceeded regardless and Gulari who faced off with a less popular candidate, Prince Bilala was defeated after a controversial count.
At the end of polls, Gulari without any representation managed to pull 177 votes and his contender declared winner with 192 votes.
It was very difficult getting how many candidates stood for the elections and their scores due to the chaotic nature of the polls.
Gulari has denounced the elections as fraudulent and full of irregularities in an interview with Starr News.
He has therefore rejected the outcome of the elections and refused to handover until a fresh, fair poll is conducted.
He said many of his supporters were disenfranchised without giving details how, adding that organisers for the first time, prevented basic school students from voting violating the right of every fee paying member of the Union to vote in an election as provided by the constitution.
“We are rejecting the so called elections that took place in Kurkorna yesterday. They denied primary school children from voting and when you look at our constitution-it says that members of KONSU (Konkomba Students Union) are basic schools children, second cycle, tertiary and vocational. People from Kurkorna where they were holding the congress never voted because they were maligned, denied, intimidated, segregated, I can’t even describe it.
“They denied all primary schoolchildren from voting and I did not take part in the election and they have declared the winner of the election and I have left Kurkorna, I’m returning to wherever I’m going in Ghana and I have not handed over to anybody. I will never handover because they have disenfranchised my students and nobody is above the law”, he declared.
Gulari also accused Member of Parliament for Nalerigu/Gambaga constituency and Local Government Minister Hajia Alimah Mahama and District Chief Executive for Bunkprugu-Yunyoo of busing hundreds of people from Bimoaba to vote against him.
“Hajia Alimah came and gave money to Oscar Liwal, DCE for Bunkprugu-Yunyoo and they brought people from Bimoba land and everywhere to come and vote against Gulari. We have never had KONSU meeting where we have cargo cars carrying thousands of students to come and vote. Yesterday, students came- KONSU has never had +1000 attending, we were getting to 1,500 attending the congress and I’m telling you the evidence is that they brought cargo cars. The evidence is that Hajia Alimah and Oscar Liwal brought thousands of people. They can send me to court I’m ready to die for Konkomba land”, Gulari dared.
Emmanuel Gulari has held tribal spotlight fighting off efforts by the Local Government Ministry headed by Hajia Alimah to site a yet to be created district capital in Yunyoo, a Mamprusi dominated small town. Konkombas who form about 75-80% of the area’s population want the capital to be sited in Namong.
Hajia Alimah was not readily available for comments but District Chief Executive Oscar Liwal denied the accusations as “lies”.
“We are not aware; I’m not sure Hajia Alimah would do this. I have nothing against him. Why will I bus people to go and vote against him? Meaning what? I have not done that”, Oscar Liwal pushed back.
Source: Ghana/StarrFMonline.com/103.5FM/Eliasu Tanko