Dr Mahama Tia Kabiru and Hajia Lariba Zuweratu
The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced that the results of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Walewale parliamentary primary rerun have been declared null and void.
This decision comes after an individual believed to be a supporter of the incumbent MP disrupted the sorting process and destroyed most of the ballot papers.
The incident occurred on Monday during the sorting of the ballots for the re-run of the NPP parliamentary primary for the Walewale Constituency.
According to Gabriel Manu, the Electoral Commissioner for Walewale, the voting process went smoothly, but just as the sorting and counting of ballots were about to begin, a man appeared and destroyed most of the ballot papers.
“The police managed to arrest the person.
He is right now in police custody, and we salvaged some of the ballot papers that had been damaged,” Manu explained.
However, despite efforts to salvage the situation, the damage had already been done, and the EC was forced to declare the results null and void.
“We called the two sides… After the sorting, we realized that some of the ballot papers are badly damaged in such a way that you cannot determine if they are for candidate A or B… We have to stop there for the party to take the decision… We couldn’t determine the winner today,” Manu stated.
The disruption has led to heightened tensions in Walewale, with many residents expressing frustration and disappointment at the turn of events.
The Ghana Police Service has since restored order in the area, with security measures strengthened to maintain law and order.
Kamara Bawah, the suspect arrested for causing damage to the ballot papers, is currently in police custody and is assisting with the ongoing investigation.
The NPP parliamentary primary rerun was ordered after the initial election was marred by irregularities.
The party had hoped to conclude the process and declare a winner, but the disruption has thrown the process into chaos.
-BY Daniel Bampoe