By-election chaos: Minority vows not to recognise elected MP

By:brightwebtv.com/bright Agyapong.

The Minority in Parliament has vowed not to recognise the newly elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Lydia Alhassan.

Madam Alhassan, wife of the late New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP Kyeremanten Agyarko who held the seat until his death in 2018 won Thursday’s by-election with a convincing margin.

Official results released by the Electoral Commission show the late MPs wife polled 12,030 out of the total 17,448 votes cast, leaving the NDC’s Delali Kwesi Brempong with a paltry 5,299 votes.

Lydia Alhassan is the newly elected MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon
But the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is angry, not at the loss but at the processes that led to and the events that characterised the polls.
One of their own, Ningo-Prampram MP Samuel George was assaulted by armed masked men at the La Bawaleshie Primary School polling centre.
The party, in response to the assault, pulled out of the elections accusing the governing NPP of sending thugs after them and innocent voters.

The NPP denies this. It threw the accusation back at the NDC saying the party planned it all and intentionally chickened out of the polls knowing very well it was not one they were going to win.

These masked men in police SWAT vehicles have been accused of being behind the violence

In Parliament on Friday, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu told reporters the by-election was characterised by violence and they will not recognise its outcome.
“Yesterday will pass as bloat on the conscience of our democratic evolution with what was observed and what has been appropriately reported.
“It tells even in the outcome of the elections. Less than 20 per cent turnout in a voter population of over 80,000 meant that the electorates were justifiably subjected to fear,” Mr Iddrisu told Joy News Joseph Opoku Gakpo.

The Tamale South MP said the development undermines the right to vote and the right to be voted for, inimical to Ghana’s democratic growth.
Mr Iddrisu was emphatic the Minority will not accept “anything short of identifying and punishing the persons”, who perpetrated the violent acts.
His attempt to raise the issue on the assault on the Floor was shot down by the Speaker who wanted more deliberations on the issue before it came before the House.

Mr Iddrisu and his colleagues were unhappy with the Speaker’s action but have vowed to raise it again in the next sitting.
Minority Spokesperson on Communication, A. B. A. Fuseini who also claims the results of the elections are illegitimate told the reporter they will not recognise the newly elected MP.
He added that the Minority will not engage or partake in any activities purposed to bring Madam Alhassan to Parliament because the election was flawed.
The Minority’s Spokesperson on Defence and Security, James Agalga they will push and demand answers until they get it.
“Those men beat up our colleague in the full glare of the police and nothing was done and yet the scenes were captured on video,” he said.
Related Hot video: No party beats NDC in unleashing violence – Mahama warns
The Builsa North MP said the Inspector General of Police, David Asante Apeatu is expected before the Defence and Security Committee on Friday and although the issue was not tabled for discussion, they will raise it and demand answers.
He said the Ayawaso West Wuogon incident smacks of danger, “it is the height of insecurity,” stressing the need for it to be dealt with.
The Minority is calling for a bipartisan probe into the issue.

Source: GhanaMyjoyonline.com |