The New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the North East region, has described the alleged assault on Ali Zakaria at Nalerigu during the Super Delegates Conference voting as exaggerated.
“It has come to the attention of the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the North East Region of media reportage about an alleged assault on a polling agent of Hon. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen. I wish to state on authority that it is an exaggerated story.”
Ali Zakaria is believed to be the agent of Alan Kyerematen, one of the 10 aspirants in the Super Delegates Conference contesting to be the flagbearer of the NPP.
The North East Regional Communications Director of the party, Walibe Amos, stated that there was an altercation between the said polling agent of Alan Kyerematen and the regional youth organizer when the agent attempted to prevent the youth organizer from putting his thumbprinted ballot paper into the box.
“The agent’s reason was that our regional youth organizer had shown his vote to bystanders. So he rushed to snatch the thumbprinted ballot paper from the regional youth organizer. The youth organizer resisted him and hit the agent with his elbow leading to the agent falling on the ground. The hit also caused a cut on the agent’s forehead causing him to blead. People around ran to the scene and held the youth organizer and some also helped the agent to his feet.”
He indicated that when they realized the agent was bleeding, the regional minister and the regional chairman of NPP whisked him away and the minister rushed him to the Baptist Medical Center for treatment and he was quickly replaced with another agent and the voting resumed to a successful end.
“The incident was a purely two-man affair and not a mob action. The regional youth organizer acted involuntarily to prevent the Alan’s agent from snatching his thumprinted ballot paper by incidentally hitting the agent with his elbow leading to his fall and bleeding.”
“It is therefore not proper and unfair for anybody to report that Alan’s polling agent was beaten mercilessly in the North East Region. If it was a deliberate attack, police men on duty would have effected the arrest of the culprits. In fact, the police men on duty at the voting center outnumbered the civilians in the hall. So it wouldn’t be difficult for the police to arrest any culprit if there was any deliberate breach of law and order.”
Mr. Amos urged the general public to disregard any media reports and publications suggesting that the Alan Kyerematen’s agent was assaulted deliberately at the voting Centre.
By Eric Kombat, Nalerigu