Confusion Rocks Akwatia NDC Elections

Baba Jamal Ahmed, Deputy Minister of Local Government.

Three persons have been arrested by the Akwatia police in the Eastern Region for allegedly snatching ballot boxes during the National Democratic Congress (NDC) constituency and polling station elections.

The police had to be called in following tension after the polls.

According to news monitored by DAILY GUIDE, 'The party's constituency executives' elections in Akwatia on Saturday were characterized b tension, misunderstanding, indiscipline, under the watch of their member of Parliament, Baba Jamal Ahmed, who doubles as the Deputy Minister of Local Government.'

The fracas was allegedly between Baba Jamal and some disgruntled executives and their allies who had all become anti- Baba Jamal after they claimed he had failed to give them recognition since he became their MP.

According to the report, 'even though Baba Jamal's supposed candidates won three of the executive positions, a member of the party fought his way through the electoral offices and the police and took out some printed ballot papers… and tore them in pieces.'

He attempted to abscond after the incident but was arrested by the police.

It caused the police to intervene in the mayhem, which nearly caused bloodshed, to stop the Election Commission officials from counting the ballot papers when a stoutly-built man, popularly called 'machoman' stepped in to stop the process.

DAILY GUIDE gathered that during the counting of the ballot papers of two candidates vying for the Constituency Organiser position, the Demkyembour District Chief Executive, Ofori Abrakwa, stood up from his chair at the high table and went to where the electoral officials were doing the counting and told one of them in the Ewe language that he [the DCE] didn't like how they were counting the papers - because things did not going well for his favourite candidate, Ernest Kwame Ankrah, who lost his position to Samuel Agbeko, popularly known Taller.

The incident turned into a fracas between the followers of the DCE and the police, which made over 300 police personnel to be deployed there and managed to disperse the gathering with tear gas.

The process was put on hold for about one hour before the police were able to put the mayhem under control, and the EC officials were allowed by the Police Commander to continue the counting process.

This paper learned that before the congress, two factions were formed. However, the favourites of Baba Jamal were ousted after the whole process, whereby the other group, led by the incumbent Youth Organiser, David, maintained their positions.

DCE's Reaction                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  When contacted by DAILY GUIDE, the DCE, Ofori Abrakwa, debunked the allegations. He told the paper that as the counting process was ongoing the suspect observed that some ballots had been mingled with his candidate's and that made the suspect to go to the counting table to stop the process.

According to him, he had no hands in that incident, adding that once the guy is a party member, his outfit would see to it that the party executives went and withdrew the case and settle it at home.

All attempts to speak with the Akwatia Police Commander proved futile as he failed to pick the several telephone calls.

FROM Daniel Bampoe, Akwatia