There is tension in the New Juaben South Constituency of the ruling New Patriotic Party following the conduct of the Polling station Executives and Electoral area Coordinators election.
The Member of Parliament for New Juaben South Michael Okyere Baafi has been accused of attempt to manipulate the election in his favour. The MP has been accused of sharing polling station nomination forms among his close loyalists denying others he perceives were against him in previous Parliamentary primaries.
The aggrieved members on Tuesday February 22,2022 petitioned the Polling station and Electoral Area Election Committee having accused it of being complicit.
The petition signed by Dr.William Gyedu Asiedu, a lecturer, Jalil Ibn Tahir (Polling station Executive) , and Paul Amoh (former council of elder) ,demanded the publication of notice of polls .
“It has become necessary to petition your Committee on our behalf and on behalf of a group of party people for you to take charge and publish various contests and schedule of the election in the various polling station by tomorrow Thursday February 24,2022.
This has become necessary because ,the absence of the committee members and Constituency Executives at the office ,coupled with the chaotic ,selective and unfair distribution of nomination forms has created a sense of mistrust in the process “.
The petition continued that “It is unfortunate that the national Executives directed the formation of committee but it’s membership and activities have been shrouded in secrecy so far to the extent that , loyalists of the MP, Hon Michael Okyere Baafi , who themselves are contestants are the ones sharing forms and have been in charge of the process so far”
Excerpts of the petition added that “the distribution of the forms was done in the night of February 18th to the loyalists of the MP with no committee members not Constituency Executives available. Deliberately, polling station executives and party people perceived not to have supported the MP , Hon Michael Okyere Baafi in the last Parliamentary primaries were denied forms.
It took Personal relationships, fights and struggle for the party people to get forms to fill and submit but most others could not get forms”.
The petitioners are demanding that “a publication of all those who filled nomination for the various contests in various Polling stations .A publication of the schedule of the election in the various polling stations( time,place and duration of election) .A request that the loyalists of the MP are removed from the office for only committee members to preside over conduct of the elections”
Meanwhile the office of the Member of Parliament for New Juaben South , Michael Okyere Baafi has denied any wrongdoing.
“The attention of the Office of the Member of Parliament for New Juaben South Constituency – Mr. Michael Okyere Baafi has been drawn to the false and misleading information circulating in the New Juaben South Constituency and the Region, suggesting that the Member of Parliament is the brain behind the hidden of some nomination forms meant to be sold to interested aspirants in the upcoming polling station elections.
The Office takes serious exception to this false story circulating and also urges the public to disregard these false accounts and treat them with the contempt they deserve”
The statement continued that “Mr . Michael Okyere Baafi who doubles as the Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry is a seasoned politician who understands and respects the structures there are in governance at all levels and would not want to interfere in any process or procedures laid down by the Party in choosing its leaders to take charge of the Party to move the Constituency to the desired height in development”.
Polling station elections within the NPP is expected to beheld nationwide between February 25, 2022, and March 5, 2022.
This was disclosed in a memo from the Director of Research and Elections to Regional Chairmen, Secretaries and Chairmen of the polling stations, among others.
The election of new national officers of the party has been slated for July 14 to July 16.
April 22 to 24 has also been scheduled for constituency elections, while the regional elections will take place from the 20th to the 22nd of May.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Kojo Ansah
