NPP boycotts Tain elections

The New Patriotic Party have served notice they would not contest the crucial Tain constituency run-off slated for Friday, January 2.

According to Dr. Arthur Kennedy, Communications Director of the Nana Akufo-Addo campaign, the conditions in Tain are not conducive for a free and fair election.

He told Joy News' Sammy Darko he anticipates there would be no voting in Tain on Friday.

He suspects there are more aliens in Tain than the indigenes which he says does not augur well for a free and fair election.

A scheduled rally to be addressed by president Kufuor on Thursday was cancelled; a move Arthur Kennedy says was based on security advice.

Joy correspondents confirm Dan Botwe, Maxwell Kofi Jumah and other NPP party bigwigs were in Tain to begin vigorous campaign but vanished much later on Thursday.

Some NPP supporters who granted interviews to Joy correspondent say they are not ready to cast their ballot on Friday until they have been given the go ahead by their leaders.

The party is reported to be seeking a court injunction on the Tain constituency runoff.

Lead counsel Atta Akyia told Joy News plans are far advanced to put the Tain election on hold.

Meanwhile, leaders of the NDC have stormed the small Tain constituency to launch an electoral assault on the NPP.

Ex-president Jerry Rawlings, flag-bearer Prof. John Evans Atta Mills and his vice John Mahama are said to be embarking on a door-to-door campaign ahead of Friday's runoff.

The NDC amassed 4, 501,466 representing a total of 50.13 percent and have opened a 23,055 lead.

The NPP needs to overturn the margin, and hopes their evidence on the purported electoral fraud in the Volta Region is sustained by the EC.

The EC says it will go ahead to organize elections in Tain because it has not been officially served any notice of an injunction.

The Tain constituency is said to be under tight security ahead of tomorrows run-off.

Listen to excerpts of the interview with Arthur Kennedy in the attached audio

Story by Nathan Gadugah