The timely intervention of the Police, prevented a clash between perceived supporters of two aspirants in the Korle Klottey constituency primary, Philip Addison and Nii Nortey which could have ended in a bloody confrontation.
Numbering about 50, the perceived supporters of Mr Addison had gone to the party’s headquarters which is the centre for the primary to protest what they claimed were attempts to conduct an election slated for next week.
Ernest Boateng who spoke for the group in an interview with Citi News stated that “ we are not voting this Sunday” this to him is because “ two of the aspirants have agreed on a particular date that is August 8 this coming saturday, so we don’t know why they want to do this illegal election”.
Ernest Boateng also alleges that NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyei Agyapong is behind the confusion and that he supports one of the aspirants Nii Noi Nortey.
“All of this is happening because the General Secretary, a very disappointing General secretary so far, this confusion is favouring one of the candidates.
Nii Noi Nortey is trying to organize this kind of elections here, but we are not going allow that,” he said.
Mr. Boateng insists they will do all they can to prevent the elections from taking place “ we are not going allow it, you wait and see, coming events cast their shadows, we won’t allow them, then there will be bloodshed, Kwabena Agyepong is sitting in his house and taking decisions for the party, it won’t happen today. ”
But in their attempt to force their way into the premises of the party headquarters was resisted by another group alleged to be supporters of Nii Noi Nortey. Kofi Ansah who is with the Nii Noi group insist “this is another attempt the other group wants to disrupt the elections so that they take us to court again”
It took the timely intervention of the police to halt what could have been a bloody encounter between the two groups.
Meanwhile after a protracted meeting of the aspirants, the electoral commission and the regional executives of the party, the decision was taken to continue with the polls today but two of the candidates Philip Addison and Nii Adjei Tawiah insist they will not be part of the polls and are bent on preventing others from voting
“All the delegates who are supporting me and Nii Adjei Tawiah should make sure that nobody comes inside the building to vote, we are saying nobody will vote, let the police shoot everybody” Addison said calling on his supporters to stand firm and resist any attempt to conduct the polls.
An avowed supporter of Philip Addison has however been arrested for inciting violence. It took the combined efforts of about 6 policemen to arrest the heavily built man as elections continue.
By: Raymond Acquah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Photos by Franklin Badu Jr –
