The Northern Regional Executive Committee of the New Patriotic Party has indefinitely suspended ongoing processes to elect Polling Station and Electoral Executives in two constituencies in the Northern region following chieftaincy tensions after recent disturbances in the areas.
A statement signed by the party’s Regional Communications Director, Adam A Latif said the decision to suspend the processes in the Bimbila and Daboya-Mankarigu followed security assessment and “consultation with the party hierarchy and the political heads in the two constituencies.”
The processes in the Gambaga Nalerigu constituency have also been held in abeyance indefinitely “to avert any trouble” following growing confusion between youth and current local executives, which nearly spiralled last Friday night.
“In a similar vein, following series of written petitions and complaints of electoral malpractices and fraud against the current electoral processes in the Nalerigu-Gambaga Constituencies of the Northern Region, the Regional Executive Committee has decided to intervene, and thus, has suspended forthwith the election processes leading to the election of Polling Station Executive and Electoral Area Coordinators in the Nalerigu-Gambaga Constituency in order to avert any trouble,” the statement explained.
The party youth in the Nalerigu Gambaga constituency on Friday came out onto the streets accusing the party organiser of attempts to manipulate the processes in favour of the current executives. He was separately accused together with the DCE of influencing the processes to favour Member of Parliament for the area, Hajia Alimah Mahama.
The youth was restrained that night by other executives but they petitioned the Regional executives to intervene.
The party responded in the statement and said the petition has been referred to the Regional Elections Committee “for their study and necessary action”.
Reports of violent misunderstanding across the region have been recorded in the ongoing processes.
One person was arrested by police in Tamale after some youth of the party in the Tamale South constituency allegedly attacked a polling station chairman for refusing to release electoral materials.
“The Regional Executive Committee is urging calm among party followers and supporter in the affected constituencies as it works to put intervening structures and strategies in place to allow all qualified and interested party people exercise their democratic rights,” the statement concluded.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM/Eliasu Tanko
