Fuming Youth Threaten Bloodbath
A group calling itself Concerned Youth of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Oforikrom Constituency of the Ashanti Region, has threatened to spill blood and burn down the Constituency office, if the polling station elections which come off across the country this weekend, lack transparency.
The threat comes as the ruling party, appears engulfed by anger and tension ahead of the impending polls with reports saying that incumbents are getting stiff competition from new entrants, but are unwilling to back down.
Already, the Youth Organiser of Abirem Constituency in the Eastern Region, Frank Ayim, alias Kuzor, has been hospitalised at the Abirem Government Hospital, after he was allegedly butchered by one Alfred Duah, another party man.
The tension, has also led to a reinforcement team of armed personnel from the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) of the Ghana Police Service, deployed from the Eastern Regional Police Headquarters to the Abuakwa North Constituency, following a chaotic situation during the party’s polling station election.
This was after confusion erupted at the Akyem Tafo government hospital polling station on Wednesday, after some members of the party, accused the Constituency first vice chairman, Alhaji Seidu, popularly known as Alhaji OPASS of stuffing some ballot papers.
The youth in the Oforikrom, who had marched to the party office on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, accused the Constituency elections committee for wanting to retain the old polling station executives, instead of conducting new elections.
According to the concerned youth, the Constituency elections committee does not want the elections to be held.
Some of the aggrieved members of the group, noted that the committee also wants to empower the electoral coordinators to determine who becomes a polling station executive in the newly-created polling stations.
One of the members of the group noted: “This Friday, everything will be over. We aren’t seeing anything, some people have picked forms. They haven’t been vetted so they don’t know whether they’re contesting or not. All we’re hearing is that the leaders want some people to go unopposed, and that won’t happen here, we’ll not allow that to happen in Oforikrom”.
“All we want to hear at the end of the meeting they’re going to have is for them to tell us the date for the elections. If they don’t do that, they’re seeing what’s going on in other constituencies, people are burning down the party office, as for us, we’ll lock up the party office. Anyone who attempts to reopen the office, we’ll burn you together with the office.”
Another member of the group continued: “If they want the constituency to clash, then they should opt for someone to go unopposed”, and told Class91.3FM’s Ashanti regional correspondent Elisha Adarkwah, “If they attempt it, blood will flow in Oforikrom; Ofrorikrom has a history.”
The concerned youth, therefore, called on the National Executives of the NPP to intervene and ensure free, fair, and transparent elections in the constituency.
In the Abirem Constituency Mr Duah, who inflicted the wounds on Frank Ayim, is a Constituency youth organiser hopeful and an alleged nephew of the Member of Parliament for the area, John Osei Frimpong.
The incident happened on Tuesday evening, March 1, during the party’s polling station election in one of the communities called Dodowuraso.
The Constituency Secretary, Evans Osei Yeboah, has accused the MP of the Abirem Constituency, Mr. Osei Frimpong of allegedly intimidating them with some macho men at the polling stations.
Mr Yeboah further told the media that the polling station elections have been suspended for now till further notice.
The accused person has been arrested and is currently in police custody for further investigations.
In the Abuakwa North Constituency incident, Alhaji Seidu was accused of stuffing the ballot and sat on the same behind the Polling booths in an attempt to put it into the ballot boxes.
The angry party members reportedly rushed to attack him but the first Vice Chairman was whisked away into a vehicle and drove off.
The intervention of the reinforcement team from the counter terrorism unit of the Ghana Police service from the Eastern Regional Police Command helped to restore calm.
However, in a voice note, Alhaji Seidu vehemently denied the allegations amidst tears.
He swore by Allah and the Quran calling for punishment against his false accusers.
The counter terrorism unit of the Ghana Police Service is still present on grounds providing security for the polling station elections being held in the Akyem New Tafo Zongo electoral area where tension is high.
The polling station election of the NPP has been marred by pockets of confusion and violence in the Eastern Region.
The New Abirim Constituency youth organizer, has sustained cutlass wounds in a violent clash which broke during polling station election on Tuesday.
Frank Ayim, was allegedly attacked by one Alfred during a fight at Dodoworaso polling station.
The victim has been admitted at Abirim Hospital.
