An Office at the District Assembly building
Calm has returned to Zebilla, the capital of the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region, after some angry youth believed to be supporters and members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), had gone on rampage over the nomination of Victoria Ayamba as the district chief executive by President Akufo-Addo.
They reportedly vandalized items at the District Assembly building, the NPP office and the residence of the Member of Parliament (MP), Frank Adongo Fuseini, who doubles as the Upper East Deputy Regional Minister.
Bawku West District police commander, ASP Emmanuel Honi-Broni, told DAILY GUIDE that calm had returned to Zebilla and that the situation was very well under the control of the police. However, no one had been arrested yet.
He said the police had started investigating what led to the riot and subsequent destruction of public and private properties.
“We have started asking questions and I am sure the right thing will be done after the investigations,” he maintained.
Apart from vandalising properties belonging to the District Assembly, the constituency office of the NPP and the residence of the MP, they also blocked the Zebilla portion of the Bolgatanga-Bawku road with lorry tyres and set them ablaze.
Some other youth were seen on motorbikes and riding recklessly as they chanted “2020 NO FUSEINI, 2020 NO FUSEINI.”
The angry youth claimed a woman could not control the district in a way that would make the NPP win the seat again in 2020, alleging that Madam Victoria Ayamba had not been loyal to the party and therefore, it would be a mistake if the president selected her as DCE for Bawku West.
They also alleged that Madam Ayamba was secretly supporting the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the area with motor bikes for the campaign in 2016.
They mentioned one businessman and assembly member for the Teshie Electoral Area, Patrick Ayaaba, as their preferred choice.
According to them, Ayaaba sponsored the party immensely in the district, to the extent of buying many motorbikes for party executives, supporters and polling station coordinators to reach out to people in all corners of the constituency, which resulted in the defeat of the NDC MP, Cletus Avoka.
An Office at the District Assembly after the riot
The Bawku West District Assembly building
The NPP Constituency Office after the destruction by the Party Youth
Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Bolgatanga