A group affiliated to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for the elections of New Patriotic Party NPP in Yendi constituency to be reran, adding that the manner in the results were declared for the incumbent MP discourages women’s participation in politics.
In an exclusive interview with radio Tamale’s Fuseini Safianu Mandeya on the ongoing brouhaha that resulted from the elections of parliamentary candidate for the NPP Yendi on Saturday, January 27, secretary of the group Madam Sayibu Salima said the NPP’s leadership should find a way to conduct the elections again for fairness sake.
She said it was imperative for the party to do that because it will give more women the hope to participate in politics, when they know they won’t be cheated or taken for granted because of their gender.
“My brother, you see, these actions by some leaders of the NPP is making it difficult for many competent women to get involved in politics. To them, they think even if they do well, they will be cheated and rob of their victory”, Madam Salima told the journalist.
“All we are calling for is a level plain ground for all the candidates to go through. Conduct free and fair elections for them. Whoever wins is allowed to lead the party. Even the electoral commission has disassociated itself from the declaration that took place and saw Alhaji Farouk as the winner”, she added.
She wondered why the entire party seems tight-lipped on the matter, saying that the NPP should not be selective and gender bias against women.
The Electoral Commission (EC) has distanced itself from the supposed results declared in the New Patriotic Party’s parliamentary election in the Yendi constituency.
Violence erupted at the voting centre in Yendi disrupting the counting process.
The poll was between incumbent Yendi MP, Farouk Aliu Mahama and Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Hajia Abibata Shanni Mahama Zakariah.
One of the Electoral Commission officials supervising the poll was accused of destroying the ballots of Hajia Abibata leading to the disruption of the counting process.
“Unfortunately, the destruction of Four hundred and Eighty-Nine (489) ballots which remained to be counted, made it impossible for the Presiding Officer to complete the collation and declare the results. The Commission therefore disassociates itself from the declaration,” the EC added in its statement.
